A number of teaching candidates have emerged in New York because the Knicks look to exchange fired Tom Thibodeau after the franchise’s most profitable season in 1 / 4 century.
As reported by former ESPN NBA Insider Marc Stein, that record consists of retired Villanova coach Jay Wright, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Ime Udoka, the Houston Rockets head coach who was beforehand suspended and fired by the Boston Celtics over allegations of an improper affair with a workforce staffer.
The Celtics initially believed the connection was consensual, however the girl later claimed Udoka made undesirable feedback in the direction of her, resulting in his 2022 suspension and 2023 dismissal. Udoka, 47, has since apologized to the workforce, its followers, and his household for ‘letting them down.’
Udoka had been engaged to actress Nia Lengthy earlier than the scandal broke in the summertime of 2022, ensuing of their break up and a custody battle over their son. She later instructed rapper Jeezy on a podcast that her relationship with Udoka ‘was rocky for a really very long time.’
The Celtics changed Udoka with interim coach Joe Mazzulla, who received a title in Boston final season earlier than being upset by the Knicks within the second spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Udoka resurrected his profession in Houston, the place he revitalized the Rockets right into a playoff workforce
Udoka and actress Nia Lengthy have been engaged for years earlier than the scandal broke in 2022
However the former journeyman NBA ahead obtained one other likelihood to educate with Houston in 2023 and has since returned the Rockets to prominence. Houston completed second within the West this season earlier than a first-round upset to the Golden State Warriors.
One other intriguing candidate is Kidd, who, like Udoka, briefly performed for New York earlier than embarking on a training profession.
Like Udoka, Kidd continues to be beneath contract, and the Knicks may want to supply the Rockets or Mavericks compensation in the event that they do find yourself hiring both candidate.
Curiously, this could be the second time Kidd was traded as a coach after the Brookly Nets allowed him to signal with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2014 in change for 2 second-round draft picks.
One of many biggest level guards in NBA historical past, Kidd has been up and down as a coach. He did information the Mavs to the 2024 Finals earlier than the workforce missed the playoffs this season following a serious damage to Kyrie Irving and the commerce that despatched Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
Wright has been talked about by a lot of basketball insiders, attributable to his connections with Knicks stars Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, all of whom performed for Wright at Villanova.
Josh Hart (far left), Jay Wright (middle left) and Jalen Brunson (middle proper) have fun
Knicks stars and ex-Villanova gamers (from left) Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges
Lately Wright works as a school basketball analyst at CBS alongside Seth Davis, who appeared to shoot down Wright’s candidacy on Tuesday.
‘I’ve been working with Jay Wright on TV for 3 years,’ Davis wrote on X. ‘Based mostly on each dialog we’ve got had I might say there’s a larger likelihood that I would be the subsequent Knicks coach than him. The distinction is that if they name me I’ll say sure.’
Though many count on the Knicks to inquire about Connecticut head coach and two-time nationwide champion Dan Hurley, a extra reasonable possibility could also be Bryant, who labored beneath NBA Coach of the 12 months Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland this season.
This season the Knicks reached the Japanese Convention Finals for the primary time since 2000, however have been finally upset by the Pacers in six video games.
In reality, the Knicks reached the playoffs in 4 of 5 seasons beneath Thibodeau, who led the workforce to its first back-to-back 50-win seasons for the primary time because the Nineteen Nineties. This got here after the Knicks failed to succeed in the playoffs in seven seasons previous to Thibodeau’s arrival.
Nico Harrison and Mavs coach Jason Kidd communicate to the media after the Doncic commerce
Each Kidd (proper) and Udoka (left) briefly performed for the Knicks earlier than changing into coaches
Thibodeau finishes his profession in New York with a .511 successful proportion, which ranks fourth in workforce historical past behind Crimson Holzman, Pat Riley and his former boss, Van Gundy. Remarkably, Thibodeau has the best profession successful proportion (.579) of any coach who hasn’t reached an NBA Finals, in response to ESPN.
Thibodeau was an assistant beneath Riley and Van Gundy within the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s earlier than becoming a member of Van Gundy with Houston and dealing with Doc Rivers in Boston. Finally Thibodeau was given the Chicago Bulls head-coaching job in 2010, and has since coached the Minnesota Timberwolves as effectively.
One shocking candidate did toss his hat into the ring on Tuesday: Metta World Peace.
The mercurial former NBA ahead born Ron Artest performed briefly for the Knicks on the finish of his profession, however is best generally known as a Queens native and former St. John’s star, along with his turbulent tenure within the Affiliation.
‘Metta is the right selection for head coach of the @nyknicks,’ he wrote on X in third individual.
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