Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, revealed this week she doubts the NBA will hire a female coach within her lifetime, despite her own recent interview experiences with the league.
Staley, a decorated NCAA leader, shared her outlook after interviewing for the New York Knicks head coaching position earlier this year. Her comments highlight the unique challenges facing women seeking to break into the NBA’s coaching ranks,offering a candid look at the barriers that extend beyond simply being qualified. This conversation arrives as the NBA continues to emphasize diversity and inclusion initiatives, yet remains without a female head coach in its history.
“No, I don’t,” the 55-year-old responded when asked if she thought there’d be a woman NBA coach in her lifetime. ”And I hope I’m wrong.”
Staley explained that a female coach would face scrutiny beyond on-court performance. “If the Knicks have a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak, it’s going to be about being a female coach,” she said. “So you as an association, a franchise, you have to be prepared for and strong enough to ignore those types of instances when you’re going to look to hire a female coach.”
This isn’t staley’s first foray into NBA consideration. She also interviewed with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021 and indicated she would have accepted the Knicks position had it been offered. “I would have had to do it. Not just for me. For women.To break [that door] open,” Staley stated on the ”Post Moves” podcast with aliyah Boston and Candace Parker in August.
Despite her skepticism about immediate change,Staley is proactively offering her insights to future candidates. she remains open to mentoring any woman coach – or even a men’s team - preparing to navigate the challenges of possibly shattering the NBA’s coaching glass ceiling.
“It’s not just about hiring the first female NBA coach,” explained Staley. ”[There will be] questions that you don’t have to answer if you’re a male coach.”
“I’ve got all the facts,” Staley offered. “Come see me, because I’ll [prepare you] for the interview.”
