The “what ifs” of sports history will always have fans around the table discussing.

Here’s one: what if Dawn Staley was the head coach at Alabama? 

The reality was closer than many may think.

Following the retirement of longtime Crimson Tide coach Rick Moody, Staley was interviewed as one of the top candidates for the head coaching position at Alabama.

While she eventually turned down the position, Staley recalled the process led by longtime Alabama athletics director Mal Moore; she described him as a “great man.”

“Great interview,” Staley said. “Brought me to Alabama and took me around. For me, I’m a feeler. I like to feel being in the place and seeing myself in the place and once I got to Alabama, no offense, I just didn’t feel myself. 

“I was so young. I’m from Philly, and I didn’t have an appreciation for the south at that point. Just too young and dumb to realize it.”

Alabama would go on to hire Stephany Smith, who was 27–61 overall and 4–39 in SEC play across just three seasons; Birmingham native Wendell Hudson served as head coach from 2008–2013 before Kristy Curry was hired.

Then at Temple, Staley departed for South Carolina in May of 2008 after compiling a 172-80 record across eight seasons at Temple, which included seven NCAA tournament appearances; she was also the fastest coach in Owls history to reach 100 wins.

With a return to Alabama for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight as coach of South Carolina, Staley has positive thoughts when recalling the interview process in Tuscaloosa.

“I enjoyed the people,” Staley said. “When you can’t feel yourself in a place, it really is the people that allow you to kind of… like if that was a non-negotiable, I would probably have to rethink that non-negotiable because of the people I’ve met.”

South Carolina will face Duke on Sunday in Birmingham for an Elite Eight matchup; tipoff is set for noon.