Dawn Staley-Jalen Brunson relationship, explained: How the South Carolina coach and Knicks star are connected

Dawn Staley’s success at South Carolina has helped her earn a reputation as one of the best coaches in basketball, winning three NCAA championships in the past eight seasons.

While Staley could remain a Gamecock for the rest of her career, the coach’s name sometimes comes up as a candidate to take over an NBA team. Recently, an online rumor connected Staley to the Knicks during New York’s wide-ranging search for their new head coach. 

Knicks News: According to league sources, both Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown are headed for a second round of interviews. Micah Nori is still being considered. The Knicks have also reached out to South Carolina HC Dawn Staley about the job.

More here – https://t.co/16WxgNdxWQ pic.twitter.com/nlGPsY5SfW

— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) June 28, 2025

Hiring Staley to be the first women’s head coach in NBA history would be bold, but Staley has a relationship with Knicks star Jalen Brunson that certainly connects the two sides. Here’s a breakdown of Staley’s relationship with the Brunson family.

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Dawn Staley-Jalen Brunson relationship, explained

Dawn Staley and Jalen Brunson have a relationship that dates back to before Brunson broke out in the NBA.

Staley, who is originally from Philadelphia, coached the Temple women’s basketball team from 2000-08. Temple also happens to be where Knicks’ assistant Rick Brunson went to college in the 1990s, and while the two didn’t overlap, that Temple connection linked Staley with the Brunsons.

In 2024, when the Knicks were playing Staley’s 76ers in the playoffs, Staley attended a few games and shared a moment with Brunson before Game 4 in Philadelphia.

South Carolina’s championship-winning coach also got the last hug from Brunson before run out 👀 https://t.co/QsJLRUiRIu pic.twitter.com/fs3ysMW1o1

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2024

Additionally, after New York defeated Philadelphia in that series, Brunson tried to recruit Staley to the Knicks’ side with a care package that included merch and a picture of Jalen and Erica Brunson with Staley when they were kids in 2004.

Can’t beat em join them. 🤣🤣🤣Thank you to my @nyknicks peeps for sending the NY love package! Thank you Rick! Thank you Jalen! Family for life! Win that ish!! pic.twitter.com/FqOc5D2OAC

— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) May 9, 2024

“Can’t beat em join them,” Staley said on social media. “Thank you to my [Knicks] peeps for sending the NY love package! Thank you Rick! Thank you Jalen! Family for life! Win that ish!!”

MORE: Tracking the latest news on the Knicks’ head coach search

Women NBA coaches

At some point, an NBA team will hire a woman to be a head coach, and that day appears to be approaching soon.

For a while, the most likely candidate had been Becky Hammon, who was a Spurs assistant for almost a decade before becoming the Aces head coach in the WNBA. Hammon made history as the first woman to coach an NBA game in 2020 when she filled in for Gregg Popovich.

However, there are three female assistants in the NBA right now who could garner head coach interest: Indiana’s Jenny Boucek, Atlanta’s Brittni Donaldson, and the Lakers’ Lindsey Harding. Boucek is the longest-tenured of the four, as she’s served as a Pacers assistant since 2017 and is coming off a year when the Indiana coaching staff came within a game of winning the NBA title.

As for college coaches, Staley is the most obvious name, but USC’s Lindsey Gottlieb, Duke’s Kara Lawson, and Notre Dame’s Niele Ivey were all NBA assistants before taking their current jobs.

MORE: Ranking best Knicks’ free agents targets, from Chris Paul to Luke Kornet

Dawn Staley head coaching record