Summary
Dawn Staley, a successful women's basketball coach, says the NBA is not ready to hire a woman as a full-time head coach due to cultural and media challenges. She has interviewed for NBA coaching jobs but believes teams need to prepare more to handle the unique pressures of hiring a female coach.
Key Facts
- Becky Hammon was the first woman to coach in an NBA regular-season game as a temporary replacement in 2020.
- Hammon is now head coach of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces and has won three championships in four years.
- Dawn Staley interviewed for head coaching jobs with the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.
- Staley believes no NBA team is ready to hire a female head coach full-time because of cultural and media challenges.
- Hiring a female coach would affect the team’s owner, general manager, media, and players in new ways, requiring preparation.
- Staley says having a woman coach could positively influence an NBA team’s culture.
- Staley has a Hall of Fame playing career and a highly successful coaching record at Temple University and the University of South Carolina.
- She is open to coaching in the NBA but has no plans to leave college coaching unless the conditions are right.
