Former New York Knicks point guard and current ESPN analyst Mark Jackson has reportedly been contacted by team president Phil Jackson to talk about the head coaching position. SNY’s Tommy Dee reports that Phil reached out to Mark and plans on interviewing him in the near future.
Dee reports that one option is keeping Kurt Rambis as coach, but Phil Jackson wants to look at all possibilities before making a final decision:
In what was termed a “generic initial discussion,” the Knicks president is exploring several options and plans on interviewing more than a few candidates for the position including Mark Jackson, the former St. John’s grad and 1987 Rookie of the Year. Mark Jackson currently is an analyst with ESPN.
I reached out to the Knicks for a comment, but they had not heard anything about this conversation.
Jackson is in his second stint as ESPN analyst. He was hired to coach the Golden State Warriors in 2011 and was fired in 2014 after guiding the team to its two straight playoff appearances.
Dee says other potential candidates include former Cleveland Cavs coach David Blatt, Tom Thibodeau, Luke Walton, Brian Shaw and Scott Brooks.
But it’s interesting to hear that Mark Jackson is also a candidate. It was reported that his relationship with Warrior management was rocky and his choice of assistant coaches was not met with open arms, but he was well-received by the players. No matter, it’s apparent that Jackson would like another opportunity to coach and the Knicks could well be his next team.
[SNY]
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Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.
He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.
Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.