If the New York Knicks are looking for a new head coach, it’s a safe bet that Villanova’s Jay Wright will come up in conversation.
Earlier this week, Forbes’ Adam Zagoria reported that Jay Wright of Villanova would have “strong interest” in coaching the New York Knicks, but there are multiple reports pushing back against this notion.
An NCAA source told SNY’s Ian Begley that Wright would need to be “overwhelmed by the opportunity” to leave for the Knicks, or any other job for that matter. In addition to Begley’s reporting, The Athletic’s Dana O’Neil reports that Wright isn’t going anywhere.
It’s also worth noting that interim head coach Mike Miller is doing a commendable job after taking over a 4-18 team from David Fizdale. The Knicks are 13-20 under Miller, but it’s likely that new team president Leon Rose will want to bring in his own coach.
So why does Wright’s name pop up every time the Knicks are about to embark on a head-coaching search? Aside from the fact that he’s a high-profile and wildly successful college coach in the region, he’s also talked about how much he loves Madison Square Garden.
“Uh, kind of kidding, uh, the Knicks. Nothing like Madison Square Garden, but we’re kidding of course!” – Jay Wright on PMT in 2017.
Doubt he’s leaving Villanova anytime soon, but he’ll be a name Knicks fans hear every time there’s a coaching openingpic.twitter.com/o2vl8hmaw5
— Danny Small (@dwsmall8) February 18, 2020
“Uh, kind of kidding, uh, the Knicks. Nothing like Madison Square Garden, but we’re kidding of course because I don’t want to leave Villanova,” Wright said on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast.
While it shouldn’t be ruled out completely, the chances of Wright leaving his comfortable gig at Villanova for the monumental challenge of fixing the Knicks seem slim.
