The New York Knicks explored the possibility of hiring Dawn Staley for their vacant head coaching position, but the accomplished South Carolina women`s basketball coach is reportedly not among the finalists, according to The Athletic. Sources indicate Staley, a highly respected figure in women`s basketball, `impressed` the Knicks during their discussions.
Jeremiah Donati, South Carolina`s athletic director, recently confirmed the Knicks had contacted Staley. Donati expressed his support for the Knicks` decision, telling On3sports, “If I were them, I would have called her, too.”
Since taking the helm at South Carolina in 2008, Staley, 55, has achieved remarkable success, guiding the Gamecocks to three national championships, including an undefeated run in 2024. Her tenure also includes seven regional titles (five consecutively) and numerous conference titles – nine in the regular season and nine in the SEC tournament.
A Hall of Fame inductee for both Women`s Basketball and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Staley`s impressive resume extends to international play, where she coached the U.S. women`s team to an Olympic gold medal in 2021.
Perhaps most notably, Staley successfully balanced coaching Temple`s women`s team for much of her eight-year WNBA playing career. She excelled in both roles, earning six straight All-Star selections professionally while simultaneously guiding the Temple Owls to six NCAA Tournament appearances, three regular season conference titles, and four conference tournament titles.
Seeking a new head coach after dismissing Tom Thibodeau following their Eastern Conference playoff run that ended against the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks have also reportedly interviewed Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reports that Brown has received a second interview and is considered one of the top two candidates along with Jenkins.
Notably, this isn`t the first instance of an NBA team considering Staley for a head coaching role. She previously interviewed (via Zoom) with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021 before they ultimately hired Chauncey Billups, whose coaching record with the team stands at 117-211 over four seasons.
