To be friends with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James can be quite a benefit. For New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale, it's a blessing.
James will not be active due to his groin strain in his upcoming game against the New York Knicks. Despite this, Coach Fizdale will be using his services to speak to his young forward Kevin Knox.
LeBron isn’t playing tomorrow but David Fizdale said he will try to get him to talk to Kevin Knox. Impart some knowledge.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) January 3, 2019
Fizdale and James go way back. Fizdale was a member of the Miami Heat under Erik Spoelstra. This was the Big 3 era with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. James and Fizdale have always been fond of each other, and it's not surprising that James would give Fizdale this kind of favor.
Many wondered when the Knicks had hired Fizdale if that was an attempt to lure in James to play at Madison Square Garden. Obviously, this didn't work to plan, but now the Knicks have an excellent mind to coach the Knicks' young players. Fizdale brings the aura of Miami's excellent culture to the Knicks.
Before joining the Knicks, Fizdale had coached the Memphis Grizzlies. He was made infamous by his postgame rant, where he yelled out, “Take that for Data!” An analytical coach himself, Fizdale has the humor and leadership skills necessary to lead as well.
Early this season, Kevin Knox has had a rough go at it. It seemed as if his jump to the NBA was more difficult than expected. So far this year he's averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from deep. Knox still needs a lot of work, and hopefully given game experience he'll continue to improve.
The Knicks are 9-30 on the season and currently sit 14th in the NBA's Eastern Conference. They will face off next against the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Friday.
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