South Carolina HC Dawn Staley linked to $7,500,000,000 worth NBA franchise amid head coaching search: Reports

South Carolina's Dawn Staley has been linked with the New York Knicks as a candidate to replace former coach Tom Thibodeau, according to a report by Knicks Fan TV. The franchise, which currently holds a $7.5 billion valuation according to Forbes, is in the middle of an extensive coaching search.

While the reports of Staley's name appearing in the search for an NBA coaching job are surprising, the South Carolina coach is a bona fide candidate with immense success at the collegiate level.

Staley began coaching with Temple, the alma mater of Rick Brunson—the father of Knicks star Jalen Brunson—before retiring from the WNBA, showing her knack for setting precedents. Becoming the first woman to coach an NBA franchise would further extend the South Carolina icon's legacy.

While Staley has found herself in the middle of conversations about becoming the Knicks' new coach, she is not the only candidate on the list. The 2025 Eastern Conference runner-ups are also reportedly in talks with Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown.

The Knicks reached out to multiple current NBA coaches earlier this month, including Quinn Snyder, Billy Donovan and Jason Kidd. However, they were denied interview requests, possibly prompting the need to take up this outside-the-box approach.

Dawn Staley has built an everlasting legacy at South Carolina

Since being named the South Carolina coach in 2008, Dawn Staley has taken the program to new heights. Although the success wasn't instant, Staley has amassed multiple team awards as well as personal accolades over the years.

With three national championships to her name, the Staley has also won nine SEC championships, four Naismith Coach of the Year awards, as well as taken the Gamecocks to seven Final Four trips.

South Carolina recognized Staley's efforts in January, making her the highest-paid women's basketball coach in history. The contract, which runs through the 2028-29 season, has an annual salary of $4 million and an escalator of $250,000 per year. The extension also came with a $500,000 signing bonus.