Jay Wright distances himself from NY Knicks position
The former Villanova Wildcats head coach reiterated his intention to stay away from the coaching side of the game.
The New York Knicks are still searching for a replacement for Tom Thibodeau after unexpectedly firing the man who led them to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 24-25 NBA season. Now, Jay Wright, who was touted as one of the leading candidates, has said he has no interest in coaching Jalen Brunson, Karl-Antony Towns, OG Anunoby and company.
Wright confirmed to Hoops HQ’s Seth Davis that he is not interested in becoming the Knicks’ new head coach as the former Villanova University coach discussed the opening with Knicks president Leon Rose but admits was never offered the job or interviewed for it.
The connection with the Knicks was undeniable because Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges all played for Wright at Villanova and won the NCAA Championship twice (2016 and 2018). He was also named the Naismith Coach of the Year in 2005-06 and 2015-16 and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2021. Since retiring from coaching, Wright has become a college basketball analyst for TNT Sports and CBS Sports.
Other candidates for role
The other leading candidates to become the next Knicks coach are Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks and Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves; and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets. The main obstacle is that the New York franchise’s front office must request an interview, and their counterparts at other organizations could refuse.
Another potential alternative could be Michael Malone, the former coach of the Denver Nuggets who was fired before the end of the regular season. Experience is an important factor for the Knicks and that’s why other options could include Mike Brown, who was part of the Sacramento Kings until he was fired after 31 games of the current season, and Luke Walton, who was with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2016 to 2019 and finished last season as an assistant with the Detroit Pistons.
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