South Carolinas legendary coach Dawn Staley doesnt think the NBA is ready to see a woman leading a team from the sidelines.
The Hall of Famer interviewed for the New York Knicks head coaching job earlier this offseason, but she doesnt believe the league is truly prepared to hand the reins to a female head coach.
No, I dont [believe it will happen in my lifetime], Staley said Tuesday, via ESPNs Myron Medcalf.. And I hope Im wrong.
The Knicks had parted ways with Tom Thibodeau and ultimately hired Mike Brown, Staley wasnt among the final candidates.
While shes widely regarded as one of the most accomplished coaches in the sport, Staley made it clear that any woman breaking into the NBA will face heavy scrutiny.
If the Knicks have a five-game losing streak, its not going to be about the losing streak, she said. Its going to be about being a female coach. So you, as an organization, a franchise, you have to be prepared for and strong enough to ignore those types of instances when youre going to look to hire a female coach.
She added, If there is somebody that is interested in knowing and interested in being the first female NBA coach, Ive got all the information, Staley said. Come see me, because Ill get you prepared for the interview. And if there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a female, Im here, too, because youve got to be ready to take that on and all the things that it comes with.
The 54-year-old has been the head coach at South Carolina since 2008, transforming the program into a national powerhouse.
Under her leadership, the Gamecocks have captured nine SEC titles, seven Final Four appearances, and three NCAA championships, including their most recent crown in 2024.
Staley signed a contract extension earlier this year worth roughly $25.5 million through 2030, making her the highest-paid coach in womens college basketball.
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