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South Carolina women's basketball: Are the New York Knicks trying to hire Dawn Staley?

On3 imageby:Chris Wellbaum•06/29/25•

ChrisWellbaum

South Carolina HC Dawn Staley vs. Texas
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

According to a report, the New York Knicks have contacted Dawn Staley about their vacant head coaching position.

The report from KnicksFanTV has not been confirmed. Staley hosted her basketball team camp last week in Columbia. Next week, she is scheduled to host top-ten recruit McKenna Woliczko on her official visit.

The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau on June 3rd after being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. That set off a whirlwind—and some would say desperate—coaching search.

The Knicks requested and were denied permission to interview sitting head coaches Jason Kidd of Dallas, Ime Udoka of Houston, Chris Finch of Minnesota, and Quin Snyder of Atlanta. New York is reportedly interviewing former Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins and former Sacramento, Cleveland, and Los Angeles coach Mike Brown.

But if the report is true, New York isn’t sold on either candidate.

(June 30 Update – On3’s Talia Goodman reports that South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati confirmed that the New York Knicks did reach out about the opening, saying, “If I were them, I would have called her, too.”)

This isn’t the first time Staley has drawn interest from the NBA. Her name has often been linked to her hometown 76ers, but that has never been more than social media wishful thinking. 

However, in 2021, Staley interviewed with the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland ultimately hired Chauncey Billups. That same summer, the Washington Wizards asked to interview Staley, but she turned them down, saying she felt the request “wasn’t serious.”

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Staley signed a five-year, $25.25 million contract extension in January that makes her the highest-paid coach in the history of women’s basketball. 

Staley signed an extension worth $25.25 million over five years, to be exact. It runs through the end of the 2030 season, just weeks before Staley turns 60. It makes Staley the highest-paid coach in the history of the sport.

Staley’s annual salary begins at $4 million and increases by $250,000 each year, topping out at $5.25 million in the final year. There are also annual incentive bonuses worth up to $680,000.

She’s getting paid millions more than any other women’s basketball coach, but the median NBA head coach’s salary is reportedly around $7 million annually. Staley would still likely be getting a raise to make the jump. 

There is also an interesting clause in Staley’s contract.

Staley faces a very significant buyout if she leaves, a carryover from the last contract meant to protect the university. But there is a notable exception. Staley owes nothing if she leaves to “immediately accept” a job as a head coach or assistant coach in the NBA or WNBA.

Staley has repeatedly said she has no interest in coaching in the professional leagues, and the previous buyout plus relatively low salary made taking a WNBA job financially improbable. That hasn’t stopped speculation, and her name gets floated for almost every opening.

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