With the recent firing of former New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek, the search for the next coach of the storied franchise is now underway this offseason.
In an article that was written by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, it was reported that the Knicks have already reached out to current NBA commentators Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson about the vacant head coaching job.
“According to a source close to the Knicks search, Van Gundy and Jackson join a growing list of head coaching candidates that the Knicks have officially reached out to. That list includes former Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale, who revealed Friday that he will interview with the Knicks next week,” Isola said.
Both Van Gundy and Jackson have their fair share of experience with the Knicks organization. From 1989 until 2001, Van Gundy was a member of the Knicks coaching staff, including from 1996 until 2001 until he resigned from his position just 19 games into the 2001-02 season.
“That the Knicks would entertain the idea of talking to Van Gundy is a major step in what was once considered a frayed relationship between the former Knicks coach and the organization that he abruptly left in 2001,” Isola said.
As for Jackson, he was selected as the No. 18 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Knicks and spent two separate stints with the team from 1987-92 and 2001-02.
Van Gundy last coached in the NBA for the Houston Rockets from 2003-07, while Jackson was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors from 2011-14 before he was abruptly fired by the team despite making the playoffs in consecutive seasons.