The Dallas Mavericks are conducting a wide search for their next head coach, and while they will reportedly dip into the college ranks to find Jason Kidd's successor, one wild-card coaching candidate is now in the mix.
Christian Clark from The Athletic (subscription required) has a list of candidates on the Mavericks' radar for their next head coach, but Clark listed South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley as a name to watch for the Mavericks' next head coach. Staley has flirted with NBA coaching positions in the past, and this may be the perfect opportunity to get her wish. Here's how Clark linked Staley to the Mavericks:
"Ujiri interviewed Hammon — the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces — for the Raptors job three years ago. One NBA executive told The Athletic that it wouldn’t be shocking if the Mavericks wanted to interview Staley."
South Carolina HC Dawn Staley is a name to watch in the Mavericks coaching search
Clark adds that she was close to an NBA head coaching job, but was never offered the position. Although she didn't get the job, Clark says it's clear that Staley would love a position in the NBA.
"Staley, the WNBA great and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, has won three national championships in her 18-year run as South Carolina women’s basketball coach. Last summer, the Knicks interviewed her for their head coaching job, and Staley said she would have accepted the post if offered."
The New York Knicks hired Mike Brown, who has taken his team to the Eastern Conference Finals, so it seems like the Knicks made the right decision, but that doesn't make hiring Staley a wrong decision either.
Staley has been in charge of a dynasty she built from scratch and is one of the best college basketball coaches of all time. Staley has won three national championships and has won Naismith Coach of the Year four times.
Not to mention, she was a baller in her playing days as a six-time WNBA All-Star. It didn't take her long to get into coaching, and she's built a dynasty and a blue-blood basketball program. South Carolina has become a regular Final Four team, and while it may be one of the crazier names linked to the Mavs' coaching search, it makes complete sense.
Of course, the bigger elephant in the room would be a woman as an NBA head coach. Becky Hammon was an assistant to Gregg Popovich for the San Antonio Spurs a decade ago, and it's a perfect excuse for the Mavs to break the cycle and hire Staley as a coach.
There are other coaching candidates the Mavs have in arguably the hottest job of the offseason. Sean Sweeney, former Mavs assistant coach and current Spurs associate head coach, seems like the favorite for now. Tiago Splitter, Micah Nori and Billy Donovan are other names to watch.
Flagg's college coach, Jon Scheyer, took the Duke job, assuming he would be there for a long time, so the chances of a Duke reunion happening are unlikely.
Staley has been the gold standard of women's college basketball for nearly a decade, and the Mavs opening may be the best opportunity she may ever get.
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