The Knicks will interview Clippers assistant coach Mike Woodson for their vacant head coaching position on Wednesday in Los Angeles, tweets Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times. New York received permission to meet with Woodson, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Woodson is the fifth confirmed candidate that New York plans to interview, including David Blatt, David Fizdale, Jerry Stackhouse, and Mark Jackson. The Knicks have also reportedly reached out to Jeff Van Gundy, who coached the team for parts of seven seasons and led New York to the 1999 NBA Finals.
Like Van Gundy, Woodson also coached the Knicks, serving at the helm for parts of three seasons from 2012-2014. Woodson is the last head coach to lead the Knicks to the playoffs — the team won the Atlantic Division in 2012/13 with a 54-28 record, but was eliminated by the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals that spring.
Woodson also played for the Knicks for one season after the team selected him 12th overall in the 1980 NBA Draft.
The 60-year-old was fired by the Knicks after the 2013/14 season and replaced by rookie coach Derek Fisher. Woodson joined the Clippers as an assistant coach in September 2014 and has held that post since, becoming a key advisor to Doc Rivers.
In an interview on Saturday with Marc Berman of the New York Post, Woodson admitted that he wants to “finish what he started” as the Knicks’ head coach.
“I don’t want to hide the fact I’d love to be back,’’ Woodson said. “I’d like to finish what I started. At the end of the day, you want to come to New York, based on my body of work there. I want it to be mutual. I want them to want me. I hope they call me.’’
Woodson got his wish and he now joins a talented pool of candidates as the Knicks search for Jeff Hornacek’s replacement.
This is like a bad nightmare…
No doubt, please lord, no Mike Woodson.
Let’s take a bite out of the same turd.
LOL! You’ve got to be kidding me. Woodson???? Again?????? I just want to know what drug the Knicks’ front office is on, because that must be some gooooooooooood s h ! T.
Should have never let him go in the first place.
Woodson was a terrible coach in NY.
He let JR Smith get away with murder while punishing Shumpert for every little thing Shump did wrong. He broke Kidd, he broke Melo, and his offensive game plan was get Melo the ball. His defensive scheme was to hold Shumpert accountable for every position. Never held Melo nor Stat accountable for their lack of defense. The fact that the Knicks made it to the second round was because of Melo, Kidd, and Chandler. But by the 3rd game of that series against Indiana, it was quite clear that a lineup/game plan change was needed and he failed to do so.
Oh and btw, he couldnt coach J Johnson, P Milsap, J Smith, and A Horford to a finals back when the Eastern conference was at its weakest. Why do you think he’d be able to do so now against the Celtics, Cavs, Raptors, Sixers, or Wizards? He can’t.
Melo led the league in scoring with Woodson as coach. He also led them to 58 wins. Broke Kidd? Kidd was 40 years old when he played for the Knicks.