"I would've called her too": South Carolina AD reinforces New York Knicks' interest in Dawn Staley amid historic coaching possibility

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley once again finds her name in the rumor mill, but this time it is for a job in the NBA. The New York Knicks reportedly reached out to Staley following the firing of Tom Thibodeau.

Staley's resume speaks for itself. She has transformed the Gamecocks program into a national powerhouse, winning three national titles. South Carolina's athletic director, Jeremiah Donati, addressed the media on Monday, confirming that the Knicks did indeed reach out to Staley.

On3's Talia Goodman reported Donati's comment on X (formerly Twitter).

"If I were them, I would have called her, too," Donati told Goodman.

The Knicks finished this past season 51-31, earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They reached the conference finals, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. Coach Thibodeau failed to bring an NBA championship to Madison Square Garden in his tenure, leading to his dismissal.

This is not the first time Dawn Staley's name has been floated around for an NBA job. If Staley were to make the jump, she would be the first female head coach in the NBA's storied history.

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Dawn Staley explains why coaching in NBA or WNBA doesn't appeal to her

The WNBA made news this week about three new teams being added in the next five years, one in the home of Dawn Staley in Philadelphia. If Staley ever considered leaving South Carolina, the appeal of coaching in her hometown could be enticing.

However, in her newly released book, "Uncommon Favor," Staley writes about why she is content with coaching at the collegiate level.

"I appreciated the consideration, but, in the end, it reminded me why coaching young women remains the ideal scenario for me," Staley wrote, referring to her discussions with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021, per the Greenville News.

Dawn Staley, who played in the WNBA for eight seasons, also wrote that she has no interest in coaching in the league.

"Over the years, several WNBA teams have gauged my interest in coming on board. I don't want to coach in the WNBA, never have. If I jump over, I want ownership," she explained.

Earlier this year, Staley signed a contract extension that will keep her in Columbia through 2030. She is set to make over $4 million this year with scheduled raises each year.