Dawn Staley Emerges as Surprise Candidate for Mavericks Head Coaching Job

When the Dallas Mavericks decided to fire Jason Kidd on Tuesday, May 19, it was one of the most surprising coaching moves in recent memory.

In five seasons, Kidd delivered a Western Conference title, an NBA Finals appearance, and multiple playoff runs.

Even the Mavericks' turbulent 2025–26 campaign, which ended at 26–56, came amid major roster instability. The team underwent significant turnover at the trade deadline, including moving Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell, didn’t have Dereck Lively II for most of the year, and spent the entire season without Kyrie Irving, all in the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade.

As a result, many around the league still viewed Kidd as a steady hand in difficult circumstances, not a coach on the hot seat, especially with four years and more than $40 million remaining on his contract, according to ESPN.

Still, new president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri, made it clear the franchise is entering a new era that demands a different voice.

With a young nucleus led by reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, plus the No. 9 and No. 30 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft and additional future first-round capital, Dallas suddenly owns one of the league's most intriguing coaching openings.

And now, one of the most unexpected names to surface comes from the college ranks, South Carolina's Dawn Staley.

"Ujiri interviewed (Becky) Hammon - the head coach of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces - for the Raptors job three years ago," wrote The Athletic's Christian Clark. "One NBA executive told The Athletic that it wouldn't be shocking if the Mavericks wanted to interview Staley,"

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A Naismith Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion at South Carolina, Dawn Staley has built a modern dynasty with the Gamecocks over an 18-year span, turning them into a national powerhouse defined by physical defense, disciplined play, and elite player development.

A former six-time WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist as both player and coach, she has emerged as one of the most respected figures in basketball.

Staley was also previously interviewed by the New York Knicks for their head coaching vacancy in 2025, a process she later said she "would have had to" accept if it were offered.

In Dallas, the post-Kidd reset is centered on a young core led by rising cornerstone Cooper Flagg. Staley's track record as both a culture-builder and elite developer of young talent makes her an unconventional but conceptually intriguing fit.

And as Christian Clark noted, Masai Ujiri has already shown a willingness to explore nontraditional coaching candidates, including interviewing Becky Hammon during his time in Toronto.

That precedent alone suggests Dallas may be more open than most NBA franchises to testing long-standing boundaries about who can lead at the highest level.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 12:51 PM.