Jason Burgos
A new report suggests that a pair of top college basketball coaches could be contenders for the Dallas Mavericks head coach job, including a legend from the women’s side of the game.
Earlier this week, the Mavericks stunned the basketball world when new head of basketball operations Masai Ujiri decided to fire head coach Jason Kidd. The NBA Hall of Famer is well-respected around the game and is still owed $40 million from the extension he signed two years ago. But clearly, Ujiri wants to start from scratch in his new regime.
In the days since, there has been a lot of speculation about potential contenders to replace Kidd. On Friday, The Athletic Mavs reporter Christian Clark offered up a couple of options that may surprise some fans of the team.
The first is Cooper Flagg’s former coach at Duke, Jon Scheyer. The Blue Devils coach has posted a 124-25 record since replacing college coaching icon Mike Krzyzewski four years ago. He recruited Flagg to the university, and the pair took the program to the Final Four last year.
While Clark admits Scheyer’s leaving Duke after four seasons is unlikely, the ability to work with Flagg again at a coveted NBA job will be something he would seriously consider.
Could the Dallas Mavericks interview Dawn Staley?
The Duke coach was not the only program head that Clark suggested could be on Ujiri’s interview wish list. The Mavericks reporter also made a case for why South Carolina coach Dawn Staley could also be in the running for the job.
“Ujiri interviewed Becky Hammon — the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces — for the Toronto Raptors job three years ago. One NBA executive told The Athletic that it wouldn’t be shocking if the Mavericks wanted to interview Staley,” Clark reports.
During 18 seasons overseeing the Gamecocks program, Staley has become one of the elite coaches in women’s basketball. Posting a 511-114 record, reaching the tournament in 15 straight seasons, the Final Four in eight, and winning three national championships.
She interviewed for the New York Knicks job last year, so she is clearly on the radar of NBA teams.
