Dawn Staley Claims She Interviewed for Knicks’ Job; Will There Be an NBA Female Coach?

• Dawn Staley says that she interviewed for the vacant New York Knicks’ head coaching job.
• Staley has been successful as a college coach, winning three championships with the South Carolina women’s basketball team.
• The Knicks hired Mike Brown instead, but it seems like the NBA is getting closer to hiring its first female head coach.

Dawn Staley claims that she interviewed for the vacant New York Knicks head-coaching job, which went to Mike Brown.

But the NBA might be getting closer to hiring their first female head coach.

Staley Says She Would Have Taken Knicks’ Job If It Was Offered

Staley made the comments on the “Post Moves with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston” podcast. It should be noted that Staley coached Boston, now with the Indiana Fever, at South Carolina.

Staley has been wildly successful as the head coach of the South Carolina women’s basketball team. She has won three national titles and taken the team to seven Final Fours. Staley is a four-time Naismith Coach of the Year and a two-time AP National Coach of the Year. She has coached the likes of Boston, three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson (who is second in the WNBA MVP odds), Kamilla Cardoso, and Allisha Gray.

As a player, Staley was no slouch. She is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and was a six-time WNBA All-Star. Staley was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in 1991, although her Virginia Cavaliers lost to Tennessee in overtime. She also won four Olympic gold medals; three as a player, and one as a coach.

Staley also said that she would have taken the job had she been offered it, but the Knicks went with Mike Brown instead.

Will We See a Female Head Coach in the NBA?

Staley did make this comment on the podcast:

"How, if you hired me as the first female [head] coach in the NBA, would it impact your daily job? Because it would. You're going to be asked questions that you don't have to answer if you're a male coach. There's going to be the media and all this other stuff that you have to deal with that you didn't have to deal with and don't have to deal with when you hire a male.”

That may have factored into the Knicks’ decision, but they are missing out. Staley is an excellent head coach, and her resume, both playing and coaching, would earn her respect in an NBA locker room. But we will see a female head coach in the NBA.

Becky Hammon was close as she interviewed with Portland (twice) and Orlando, and Toronto wanted to interview her, between 2021 and 2023. However, Hammon has been very successful in the WNBA, winning a pair of titles with Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, who are near the top of this season’s WNBA championship odds.

Staley may have to go to the WNBA first, but there is confidence that the NBA is getting closer to making history and hiring their first female head coach!