At Overtime Select, ‘Auntie Shea’ guides the top high school girls’ basketball prospects

Le’Sheala Dawson isn’t just the director of athlete relations for Overtime Select, a summer league designed to spotlight the nation’s top high school girls’ basketball prospects. Dawson, whom the players affectionately christened “Auntie Shea,” is a respected mentor to the next generation.

“I think being an auntie is the best job and title you can have. One, because they’re your kids. They love you, but they also get to go home,” Dawson told Andscape. “But you get to have the best times with them. You get to hear their raw thoughts. They trust you. You get to be the bridge between their parents. You’re the one to kind of help them navigate.

“I know that I’m a trusted resource, and I always try to make sure I’m transparent and that they feel safe and communicated with, even if it’s a hard conversation.”

Before joining Overtime, Dawson spent more than three years with the Philadelphia 76ers as their manager of team programs and player services, carving out a reputation for supporting players, families and coaches, and creating a culture where people felt heard.

This year, Overtime Select featured some of the nation’s top prospects, including Jezelle “GG” Banks, Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards, Saniyah Hall and Kaleena Smith. From making sure players are taken care of when they arrive at Overtime Select’s campus to strategizing events that teach them about monetizing their brands, and even creating TikTok videos with them, Dawson’s constant focus on the young athletes doesn’t go unnoticed.

“She is always asking for feedback [on] how she can make Overtime a better place for us and for the younger girls coming in after us,” Edwards said. “She makes us feel heard with our ideas and even our complaints. She strives to keep everyone happy, and even though that’s not always possible, I would say she comes the closest to it. She shows us that she cares about us.”

Overtime Select offers prospects media training, brand partnership opportunities and access to trainers and coaches with WNBA experience. It also provides a social media platform to help players continue growing the women’s game.

Many of the players hope to follow in the footsteps of NCAA women’s basketball champions Flau’jae Johnson and Paige Bueckers, who were previously guest coaches for Overtime WBB Takeover, a showcase event where top high school players compete against each other.

“I was shocked, obviously, because the college girls were here before us, and just seeing them on TV and seeing the atmosphere, it was just dope,” said Smith, who is the No. 1 recruit in ESPN’s Class of 2027 rankings. “Being one of those girls that the young girls look up to, I think it’s just a blessing from God being able to replace them [Johnson and Bueckers], and then eventually the young girls replace us.”

Dawson spoke with Andscape about her work with the 76ers, her role with Overtime Select and the future of grassroots basketball.

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