Dawn Staley admitted she would have accepted the head coaching position with the "New York Knicks" had it been offered to her following Tom Thibodeau's dismissal. The accomplished women's basketball coach interviewed for the role that could have made her the first female head coach in NBA history.
"I would have had to do it. Not just for me. For women. To break [that door] open," Staley explained on the Post Moves podcast with Aliyah Boston and Candace Parker. "I would have had to. It's the New York Knicks. I'm from Philly. But it's the freaking New York Knicks."
The "Knicks" parted ways with Thibodeau despite him having a solid season. The front office made their reasoning clear in their statement, emphasizing their singular focus on winning a championship for fans.
Interestingly, Staley believes she knows exactly when the organization backed away from potentially hiring her. During the interview process, she raised challenging questions about the impact her hiring would have on their daily operations.
"How, if you hired me as the first female (head) coach in the NBA, would it impact your daily job? Because it would," Staley recalled saying. "You're going to be asked questions that you don't have to answer if you're a male coach."
She pointed out that the increased media attention and scrutiny would create additional challenges the organization wouldn't face with a male coach. This candid approach may have unintentionally cost her the historic opportunity.
Staley, a strong advocate for advancing women in sports, could have broken yet another barrier in her already impressive career. But were the "Knicks" ready to handle the additional spotlight that would come with such a groundbreaking hire?
