The Hornets have been granted permission to interview the Kings’ G League coach, Lindsey Harding, for their head coaching opening, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Harding was named the NBAGL’s Coach of the Year in her first season in the role. The former WNBA star coached the Stockton Kings to the Western Conference Finals. Stockton was defeated by the Oklahoma City Blue on Sunday.
Harding was hired to coach Sacramento’s NBAGL affiliate last June. Harding spent the past four seasons as an assistant/player development coach with the NBA’s Kings.
The Hornets’ decision to interview a woman for their head coaching job isn’t unprecedented, but hiring one would be groundbreaking. Current WNBA coach Becky Hammon, a former Spurs assistant, interviewed for numerous NBA head coaching openings before taking the Las Vegas Aces job.
Steve Clifford announced earlier this month he would be stepping down from the Hornets’ job at the end of the season. Charlotte has already been granted permission to interview several assistants from around the NBA, including Charles Lee (Celtics), Jordi Fernandez (Kings), Kevin Young (Suns) and David Adelman (Nuggets).
The best available coaching candidate Charlotte could hire is in-state already and just won a title. Just saying.
USC? Thats not the same state
Just looked it up. The distance between Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC is about the same as Philly and NYC. No one calls Philadelphians New Yorkers
The Men’s game is different than the Women’s game. Had Staley just coached and won the NCAA Men’s tournament, I would agree she’s the best candidate. Harding and Hammon have that experience. If Staley wants to be the first woman NBA head coach, she’s going to have to show her ability to coach the men’s game. A yearlong stint as Team USA men’s coach would probably do it and I, for one, would love to see it.
Fun Fact: South Carolina is its own state, located just south of North Carolina.
Why in the world Dawn Staley leave her job? She is getting paid well already there and the Hornets are a dumpster fire. They have dudes that should be in jail on that team.
Rooney Rule
2.0
You act like she is not well-qualified for the job, only looking at her gender. Textbook sexism.
W but the Hornets are an L franchise