The UPSHOT League officially welcomes Charlotte Crown: The newest team to join the league’s growing lineup in women’s professional basketball
In Charlotte — The Queen City — royalty isn’t inherited.
It’s earned, one grind, one game, one generation at a time. This is a city built on hustle. Born from crossroads and rail lines, a bit rebellious perhaps, fueled by entrepreneurs, creators, and competitors. Here, calm under pressure isn’t the exception — it’s the expectation. Because in Charlotte, grace isn’t soft. Its strength refined.
It’s confidence with composure, swagger wrapped in purpose. A crown right-side up? That’s royalty. A crown upside down? That’s evolution — a Royal Reversal. That’s the spirit of the women who don’t wait to be crowned — they earn it. These are the new royals. They break tradition and redefine dominance.
They play with courage, resilience, and something you can’t quite coach — belief. The Crown rules the court. They bring style to strength, grit to grace, and power to purpose. All Hail the Queens — ROYAL ROOTS with modern swagger.
The Charlotte Crown.
Watch the Official Team Reveal
Trisha Stafford-Odom,
Head Coach,
Charlotte Crown
Trisha Stafford-Odom is a veteran coach, former WNBA player, and nationally recognized recruiter whose career reflects excellence, resilience, and servant leadership. She has led programs at every level of the game, highlighted by head coaching stints at North Carolina Central and Concordia Irvine, along with impactful assistant roles at UCLA, Duke, and North Carolina. Known for her ability to build programs and recruit elite talent, she has coached All-Americans, WNBA draft picks, and multiple conference award winners while instilling a culture of discipline, growth, and service.
A standout at the University of California, Berkeley, Stafford-Odom graduated as a two-time All-Pac-10 selection, Kodak All-America honorable mention, and later a Cal Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. She went on to play professionally in the WNBA with the Houston Comets and Miami Sol, as well as in the ABL, NWBL, and overseas. She represented USA Basketball as well. Beyond her success as a player and coach, she is deeply committed to community service and servant leadership, using the game as a platform to inspire and uplift others. She and her husband, DeWayne, are proud parents of two sons, Amari and Trajen, who both play college football.