Dawn Staley doesn’t think NBA will ever hire female coach after Knicks interview

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said she doesn’t think she’ll see a woman get hired as an NBA head coach in her lifetime.

During SEC media day on Tuesday, Staley — who interviewed for the Knicks head coach vacancy in July before the team hired Mike Brown — explained that her interview with the team “was real” and she offered to help anyone interested in being the first female NBA coach because she has knowledge to do so.

“No, I don’t [believe it will happen in my lifetime],” Staley, 55, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, told ESPN. “And I hope I’m wrong.”

Staley explained that she interviewed with the Knicks because she has known team president Leon Rose and senior adviser William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley for 30 years.

“I’m a person that I need a connection to the people, so I have a connection to [Rose] and Worldwide Wes. I’ve known them all my life,” said Staley, who has won three national championships at South Carolina.

“It was a real interview and I’d like to see what they’re talking about. And if there is somebody that is interested in knowing and interested in being the first female NBA coach and such, I got all the information. Come see me because , because I’ll get you prepared for the interview.”

Staley also threw her name in the hat for a role on an NBA staff, explaining that some franchises might not be equipped to handle everything that comes with a female fire.

“And if there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a female, I’m here, too, because you’ve got to be ready to take that on and all the things that it comes with because it’s not just [about] hiring the first female coach,” Staley said.

“Because 1… If I’m the Knicks coach and [the Knicks] have a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak,” Staley said. “It’s going to be about being a female coach. So you as an organization, a franchise, you have to be prepared for that and strong enough to endure those types of instances when you’re going to look to hire a female coach.”

Staley said earlier this year that she would have taken the job if the Knicks had made an offer.

South Carolina opens the season against Grand Canyon on Nov. 3.

The Knicks brought in Brown after firing two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau.

Brown won four NBA championships as a top assistant coach, one title with the Spurs and three with the Warriors under Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr, respectively.

Brown was fired by the Kings in December 2024 after a 13-18 start in his third season as head coach. It came after he coached the franchise to its first playoff berth in 16 seasons in 2023.