10:15pm: Calipari has vehemently denied the report over Twitter, saying that he intends to be the coach at Kentucky for a long time.
6:01pm: Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari has reached out through intermediaries to express an interest in the Knicks’ presidency, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets.
The report is corroborated by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk who adds, in his own tweet, that Calipari has been interested in a return to the NBA but only for the “right job.”
New York, of course, has been seeking a a replacement at the top level ever since the franchise parted ways with Phil Jackson yesterday. Already linked to the franchise have been Isiah Thomas, Masai Ujiri, David Griffin and Sam Presti.
While Calipari has seen action in the NBA before, it seems like a lifetime ago that he patrolled the sidelines for the Nets and 76ers. From 1996-1998, he managed a 72-112 record as the head coach in New Jersey.
Calipari’s NBA Debut: The 1996-97 New Jersey Nets (26-56)
The entirety of Calipari’s previous professional stint, then, came before he evolved into the college game’s most vaunted recruiter, a characteristic that makes him far more appealing than any Xs and Os experience.
Having an asset like Calipari involved with the franchise could be a boon for the Knicks, considering the sheer amount of players he has either coached or recruited over his years with Kentucky and Memphis.
Suffice it to say, all Begley’s tweet suggests is that Calipari has expressed an interest in the position and there’s no guarantee that the interest is mutual at this point in time.
Wants that Phil money
Hire him!! The circus must go on !!
At least in the NBA they won’t redact a season
Lol
Can’t do any worse than Phil…….
It can get worse if they bring Isiah back.
Tell me that this won’t appeal to Dolan like crazy!
they need to get griffin. i love coach cal but they need an actual front office exec in NY.
While I’d agree with you, Calipari can recruit. I’d take him for that service alone when going after FA’s. He’d probably be great at the draft as well…
Im just waiting to see what ridiculous thing Dionis has to say.
Haha yes
Awesome. Dude is clueless
and then talk down to you cause he’s all knowing Hahahaha
He’s a moron. I have a theory that he’s actually Gar Foreman. Agreed with every GarPax move.
Hahahaha
lmaoooo
This guy is essentially running a puppy mill at Kentucky, essentially they all are in College Basketball with this one and done nonsense. So, he means to tell us, but running that kind of operation, he is ready to tackle the issue known as the New York Knicks??? I dunno!!!!
Haha what dude?
Squirrel.
Puppy mill lol
Phil: You can’t eff this up any worse.
Calipari: Hold my beer.
They are considering Zeke again?!? Are they nuts?!?
Anyone but that sexual predator Isaiah Thomas. I would suggest ABC crew of Breen, Jackson and van Gundy! As usual: send in the clowns as the Knicks circus stays in town.
If Dolan is smart, he’ll hire someone with experience who is respected around the league. My gut tells me he won’t.
Specifically, front office experience, not a coach.