The New York Knicks decided to move on from Tom Thibodeau, who didn’t have a bad season by any means. However, the front office didn’t believe he was the head coach who could truly move the needle for the franchise. The Knicks made this clear in the statement they released following their decision to fire him.
“In this case, Thibodeau’s time in New York ended because of the first line of the statement the Knicks released in response to his firing: ‘Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,’” ESPN wrote.
The Knicks interviewed a series of candidates for the job, including one who could have made NBA history. Dawn Staley, who interviewed for the position, made it clear she would have accepted the job if offered.
“I would have had to do it. Not just for me. For women. To break [that door] open,” Staley said on the Post Moves podcast with WNBA star Aliyah Boston and former WNBA great Candace Parker. “I would have had to. It’s the New York Knicks. I’m from Philly. But it’s the freaking New York Knicks.”
However, upon reflection, Staley believes she knows when the Knicks may have backed off on the possibility of hiring her.
“How, if you hired me as the first female (head) coach in the NBA, would it impact your daily job? Because it would,” Staley said. “You’re going to be asked questions that you don’t have to answer if you’re a male coach. There’s going to be the media and all this other stuff that you have to deal with that you didn’t have to deal with and don’t have to deal with when you hire a male. That got them to thinking, ‘Maybe she’s right.’”
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Staley raised hard-hitting questions, and perhaps the Knicks weren’t ready to face them. She is a strong advocate for advancing women in sports, and had she been hired, she would have broken another barrier. Yet, it’s possible that her candid approach may have unintentionally cost her the job.
