Could the league see its first female head coach?
Earlier this week, twenty-two games into the season, the New York Knicks fired head coach David Fizdale and assistant coach Keith Smart, after a 4-18 start. Since, rumors have been circulating about who could be interested in the job, and now, CNBC is reporting that Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon is considering the job.
“According to a league source, the former New York Liberty guard would have interest in coaching the Knicks if she could land a long-term deal, with the belief a four- or five-year deal would be sufficient,” the article reads.
An issue with luring prospective coaches, as one Eastern Conference scout tells CNBC, is that a coaching job under owner Jim Dolan is considered by many in the league to be a “terrible” position. Dolan has long been criticized by Knicks fans for the organization’s perpetual struggles. One would have to look back to 1999 to find the last time the Knicks made it to an NBA Finals and all the way back to the ’70s for a championship win.
Former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson and former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell are also reportedly being considered for the job. In the interim, Mike Miller, 55, will act as head coach for the team.