The Charlotte Hornets are hunting for a new head coach after Steve Clifford announced that he’d step down from his role to take a front-office role at the end of the season. Former NFL player-turned-analyst Keyshawn Johnson has assumed the responsibility of helping the franchise find their new coach and pitched an interesting name for the job.
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On Monday’s episode of Undisputed, Johnson suggested that the Hornets should let South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley take over the soon-to-be vacant head coaching job. In addition to having a stacked resume as a coach, which includes three National Championships, eight SEC Tournament wins, and an Olympic gold medal, the retired NFL star spoke about the cultural impact of hiring Staley, who spent six years of her playing career with the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting, would have.
“She would be the first [female NBA head coach]. She would set a whole another standard to do things… The respect level? Players are going to listen to her. Been there, done it… You are not bringing in some cracker jack box off the street… You got somebody everybody respects and love and they’ll pay attention to detail. You know she can coach. Regardless of whether it is a female game or a man game, the X’s and O’s are the same.”
.@keyshawn says Dawn Staley should be the Hornets next Head Coach:
“She would change the landscape of coaching. She’s a woman of color and could be the first woman HC in the NBA.” pic.twitter.com/ygDb0cS2ek
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 8, 2024
Johnson added that Staley being an African-American would make the hire even more impactful. The Hornets are thinking along the same lines as the analyst. However, they have a different candidate in mind. Per ESPN, the Hornets will interview Stockton Kings head coach Lindsey Harding for their soon-to-be vacant role. In her rookie year as the head coach, she led the Sacramento Kings’ G-League affiliate to the Western Conference Finals and was named the Coach of the Year.
ESPN Sources: Charlotte has been granted permission to interview Sacramento’s G League coach Lindsey Harding for head coaching opening. Harding – a former No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick — was G League’s coach of the year for Stockton and advanced to Western Conference Finals. pic.twitter.com/PlAYLhW70m
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 8, 2024
If Harding lands the job, the former WNBA star will become the second female head coach after Becky Hammon. In 2020, she was the San Antonio Spurs’ acting head coach in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers after Gregg Popovich was ejected. However, Harding would own the distinction of being the first full-time female head coach in the NBA.
Dawn Staley’s historic 2023-24 campaign with South Carolina
It’s unsurprising that Dawn Staley is being touted as a future head coach in the NBA. The Hall of Famer’s list of accolades is endless, but her run with the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2023-24 season is undoubtedly her magnum opus.
Congrats to Charlotte legend @dawnstaley and @GamecockWBB on clinching the National Championship title & an UNDEFEATED season pic.twitter.com/w24UrCNAnD
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) April 8, 2024
Staley and the Gamecocks not only won their third National Championship under her tutelage, they did it without dropping a single game. They were a perfect 39-0 this season and became only the 10th championship-winning team in the NCCA Women’s Basketball history to go undefeated in a season.
Staley’s stellar campaign earned her a third-straight Naismith Coach of the Year award. She has achieved everything in her role as the Gamecocks’ head coach and perhaps, it’s time for her to look for bigger challenges, like a head coaching gig in the NBA.
