South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was actually linked to an NBA job this summer, and given the success she has had in college, that might not be the last time.
In an appearance on “Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston” Wednesday, Staley confirmed she interviewed for the New York Knicks job this summer. She added that she would have taken the job had it been offered to her.
“If the Knicks would have offered me the job, I would have had to do it,” Staley said. Not just for me, but for women, just to break that open. It’s the New York Knicks. And I’m from Philly, but it’s the freakin’ New York Knicks.
“Would I take any NBA job? No. But I will say this: the NBA has to be ready for a female head coach.”
Staley would clearly take the right NBA job. She went on to say she thinks it is important that any team preparing to hire the first female head coach must also consider the added scrutiny that would come with it, and how they would handle it.
Based on what Staley says, the Knicks’ interest was serious, at least to a certain extent. She did not make it to the second round of interviews, and Mike Brown was ultimately hired instead.
Staley has been the head coach at South Carolina since 2008, leading their women’s team to seven Final Four appearances and three national championships. As for individual accolades, Staley has won four Naismith Coach of the Year Awards and has been inducted into both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
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