Announce Staley Statues at the Dawn of Women’s Basketball in South Carolina
See the moment Dawn Staley saw her brand new statue, unveiled April 30th in Columbia, South Carolina.
During her legendary coaching career at Put Summit, she had a “very short conversation” with Tennessee officials about coaching the VoLS men’s basketball team.
The idea didn’t go far. The summit was not keen to leave Ladyvols in favor of the men’s game.
“I’m not interested,” Summit told reporters in 1997.
It makes sense why Summit, a pioneer in women’s sports, is watching Tennessee men step on. Summitt’s Lady Vols used women’s basketball to dominate. Tennessee men were troubled by a series of losing seasons.
Still, I would have been interested in meeting the men’s basketball coach at the summit.
Similarly, I’m interested to see how South Carolina’s Dawnstay passed on to a coaching man in the NBA.
Reports have emerged that the New York Knicks may be interested in Staley due to coaching vacancy, and South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Adnaty confirmed to Greenville News, part of the USA Today Network on Monday.
Unlike the situation at the Tennessee summit, Staley would be a step up to leave South Carolina in support of the Knicks. It’s literally the next level opportunity. Coaching the Knicks is to coach in the basketball mecca, the brightest (and hottest) spotlight in the country.
Staley, 55, has repeatedly publicly declared her commitment to South Carolina. I couldn’t imagine her leaving for another university job. However, the NBA was able to move the needle. Staley interviewed the Portland Trail Blazers coaching position in 2021.
Staley doesn’t need men’s games, like Summitt before her. Knicks don’t necessarily need her. This remains an enviable job that should attract a variety of excellent candidates.
Is Staley an interesting choice? Definitely, she would. Hiring Staley is probably the most bold move the Knicks could make.
No woman coached the NBA team.
There’s no shame in Dawn Staley, who is staying in South Carolina…
Staley knows the game. Not only is she an elite tricker in South Carolina, she also has an effective motivation to bring together different personalities, but she also establishes X and O’s insights. Still, there are many challenges to coaching female college students and professional men.
Not all elite college coaches thrive in the NBA. Ask Rick Pitino about it. He didn’t connect with NBA players.
The Summit once put aside the idea of coaching NBA players.
“Looking at some of these people, I wouldn’t even want to deal with them,” Summit told Time Magazine in 2009.
Former UCONN player Gabby Williams once said Geno Auriemma “loses his heart” as coaching men. I disagree. In his youth, I think Auriemma was a very good boys college basketball coach, but he reverted the opportunity.
There’s no shame in sticking to what you know and doing better than your peers. If Staley is stuck with South Carolina, where he won three national championships, Summitt and Auriemma could end their careers with women basketball coaches at Rushmore, the Linchpins.
Also, there would be no shame in Staley leaving women’s matches for new challenges. She gave women’s basketball a 25-year coaching career. Staley and the Star-Studded Gamecocks team helped accelerate the increase in the sport’s popularity. Women’s basketball will miss Staley, but they can withstand the loss of one coaching star.
Knicks coaching will be a low-risk move for Dawn Staley
Staley faces increased NBA scrutiny, and all decisions she makes will be covered by a New York media microscope. Still, even if she gave the NBA a shot, she didn’t absorb much professional risk.
Best Case Scenario: She will be successful in the NBA, cultivate her legacy, and perhaps pave the way for more women to become NBA coaches.
Or, if she struggles in the NBA, she will keep a clear path back to college games. Women’s programs will stumble to hire her. South Carolina had nothing before Staley arrived. She was able to burn out another women’s program, as Kim Mulkey did after leaving Baylor.
Staley shouldn’t feel forced to break the barriers. If she wants to continue coaching women, she should. If she’s ready for something different, now is the time while she’s in her prime.
Staley is not the only woman qualified for this job. Consider the case of Becky Hamon, a former NBA assistant who won two WNBA titles coaching the ace in Las Vegas.
But Hamon would be a potentially troublesome choice given that he was too small and once wondering whether the Knicks could win an NBA title with Jalen Brunson. Was Hamon wrong? The Knicks have not reached the NBA Finals since 1999.
Still, it would be the basis for bumpy dynamics between coaches and star players.
By comparison, Staley knows Branson. She has a relationship with him. That’s convenient. Management of the Star Player and their ego is provided as part of the NBA job description.
Staley has nothing to prove in women’s games. That doesn’t mean she has to leave for the NBA, but if she did, how much fun would it be?
Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA Today Network. Email him to btopppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him with X @btopppmeyer.
