The New York Knicks‘ coaching search has led them to Dawn Staley, the longtime women’s coach at South Carolina and one of the most accomplished players and coaches the women’s game has ever seen. 

South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati recently confirmed that the Knicks have indeed reached out to Staley. 

“If I were them, I would have called her, too,” Donati told On3sports.

Since coming to South Carolina in 2008, the 55-year-old Staley has led the Gamecocks to three national titles that includes an undefeated season in 2024. She has also guided South Carolina to seven regional titles (including five straight), nine regular season and nine SEC tournament titles. 

A member of both the Women’s Basketball and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Staley’s coaching career also includes leading the United States women’s team to a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics. 

One the most impressive things on the Staley’s list of career bonafides is the fact that she coached Temple’s women’s team during the majority of her eight-year WNBA career. She thrived in both roles, earning six consecutive All-Star selections while simultaneously leading the Owls to six NCAA Tournament berths, three regular season titles and four conference tournament titles. 

The Knicks — who are in need of a new coach after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau shortly after falling to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals — have also spoken with Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, Pelicans assistant James Borrego and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori. Brown has received a second interview with the team, according to New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, and is one of the two leading candidates along with Jenkins.

Regarding Staley, this isn’t the first time that an NBA team has contacted her regarding a head coaching position. She conducted a Zoom interview with the Portland Trailblazers back in 2021 before the team ultimately hired Chauncey Billups, who went just 117-211 during his first four years on the job.