Dawn Staley Says She Would Have Taken Knicks Job If Offered
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley revealed she was ready to make history had the New York Knicks offered her their head coaching position. Staley confirmed that she formally interviewed for the job and later opened up about the experience on the Post Moves podcast with Aliyah Boston and Candace Parker.
“I would have had to do it, not just for me, but for women. To break that door open,” Staley said. “It’s the New York Knicks. I’m from Philly. But it’s the freaking New York Knicks.”
Staley admitted that during the interview process, she may have unintentionally hurt her chances by pressing the franchise on whether they were truly prepared to hire the first full-time female head coach in NBA history.
“You’re going to be asked questions that don’t come up if you’re a male coach,” she explained. “There’s going to be extra attention, and you have to be ready for it. That made them think, ‘Maybe she’s right.’ I felt the energy shift after that. I probably shot myself in the foot by being inquisitive and asking those questions.”
In the end, the Knicks hired Mike Brown for the role. But Staley’s candid reflection highlights her willingness to take on the challenge and the groundbreaking significance such a hire would have carried for women in sports.
