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Dawn Staley’s resume speaks for itself. She is a six-time WNBA All-Star. Olympic gold medalist and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He also coached the South Carolina women’s basketball team to three NCAA Division I national championships.
Staley was one of the candidates who attracted interest from the New York Knicks after Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his head coaching duties in early June. The Knicks finally decided to hire Mike Brown.
This week, Staley reflected on her interview experience and raised questions about the NBA’s readiness to welcome a full-time female head coach.
Staley’s argument centered on her belief that a franchise may be unwilling to face the inevitable scrutiny of a team’s performance under a female coach.
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Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks on against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
“If I’m the Knicks coach and you go on a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak, it’s about being a coach,” Staley told reporters Tuesday.
SOUTH CAROLINA COACH DAWN STALEY SAYS SHE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE KNICKS JOB IF IT HAD BEEN OFFERED TO HER
“So you, as an organization and a franchise, have to be prepared for that and be strong enough to withstand those types of situations where you are going to hire a female coach.
“If there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a woman… you have to be prepared to take on that and everything that comes with it,” he added.
Coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the Final Four semifinal game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
When asked about his confidence in seeing a woman named an NBA head coach in his lifetime, Staley responded: “No, I don’t know. And I hope I’m wrong.”
Staley also spoke about his personal connection with Knicks executive Leon Rose and others.
“I’m a person who needs a connection with people, right?” Staley said. “So I had a connection with him (Rose) and Worldwide Wes (William Wesley, Knicks senior advisor), so I’ve known them my whole life. And it was a real interview. And I like to see what they’re talking about.”
South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley participates in the team’s alma mater following their victory over the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes at Colonial Life Arena on November 24, 2023 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Jeff Blake/USA TODAY Sports)
Staley encouraged aspiring female NBA coaches to reach out to her.
“If there is anyone who is interested in knowing and interested in being the first female coach in the NBA or something like that, I have all the information. Come see me because I will prepare you for the interview.”
The UConn Huskies defeated Staley’s Gamecocks in the women’s national championship in April. South Carolina opens the 2025-26 regular season on Nov. 3 against Grand Canyon.
Dawn Staley proposes a theory about the perspective of aspiring NBA female coaches
