New York Knicks’ Dawn Staley Pursuit Leaves NBA Fans Bemused

Leon Rose and the Knicks are looking to get Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns the best coaching help they can find.

New York Knicks’ Dawn Staley Pursuit Leaves NBA Fans Bemused

Jalen Brunson, Dawn Staley (FS Image)

Losing in the Eastern Conference Finals was the best result that New York Knicks fans have seen in 25 years. Coach Tom Thibodeau would have had reason to feel a certain amount of job security after a lot of speculation throughout the season. But Thibs was fired after the loss to the Pacers, signaling the end of a momentous era for the franchise that was long looked at as one of the NBA’s worst teams this century.

There is still a lack of clarity on what exactly prompted the firing. The official version of events is that the front office was happy with his work when the season ended. However, a players’ meeting with the front office led to Leon Rose sent Thibodeau packing after the feedback given by some of the stars. Both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns had good reasons to feel that their best wasn’t drawn out by Thibs.

Nevertheless, this shocking firing leaves a gaping hole in possibly the NBA’s most high-profile job. New Yorkers always back their guys to the hilt, but they also put a metric ton of pressure on people on the hot seat. As perhaps the most iconic sports team in New York, the Knicks’ return to NBA title relevance is also a double-edged sword. Not everyone can shine under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

According to reports, the Knicks have shortlisted James Borrego, Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown for the role. Jenkins and Brown have also been sent forward to the second round of interviews. But there’s a new candidate in the mix too – one that many would consider a left field hire. Legendary South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley is one of the names whom Leon Rose has approached for the role.

The Gamecocks have become at least the second-best program in the NCAA women’s basketball bracket. They have won two national championships in the past four years and have become recruiting powerhouses. Putting Dawn Staley in charge would make her the first woman head coach to join the NBA in this role.

The jury is out among NBA fans on Dawn Staley

Many NBA fans remain unconvinced about Staley’s ability to handle the heat of the Knicks role. For one thing, the team is a contender as it is currently constructed. They have a short championship contention window, even though both Jalen Brunson and KAT are under 30 years of age and have some of their most productive years ahead of them. The roster also has other starters under contract for two to three years.

Transgender women should be allowed to play women's basketball, says SC head coach Dawn Staley
Dawn Staley (FS Image)

Knicks fans would, by and large, prefer not to make history and go with a safer head coaching choice. A curveball with a woman head coach could cause an unnecessary, unreasonable change of focus away from issues on the floor.

There’s no reason why the Knicks should stake their championship hopes on a head coach with no NBA experience. Even though Dawn Staley is a basketball icon, the Knicks need to stick with the beaten track. Losing while trying to make the wrong kind of history would return them to a lowly status among basketball fans.

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