Knicks Lose Top Coaching Candidate Amid Major Shift in Search
As the New York Knicks‘ coaching search pivots after getting denied by five NBA teams to speak with their top candidates, one of the league’s rising assistant coaches who has ties to the team and was linked to the coaching vacancy appears to be moving on.
According to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto, former Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is “expected to return to Cleveland” after losing the Phoenix Suns coaching job to his fellow Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott.
Bryant served under Tom Thibodeau’s coaching staff from 2020 to 2024. He left for Cleveland last offseason to join Kenny Atkinson’s coaching staff in a lateral move.
After Thibodeau was fired three days following the Knicks’ Eastern Conference Finals loss, Bryant was a popular name among the fan base, especially after the Suns did not pick him to be their next head coach.
Offshore sportsbook Bovada even installed him as a +240 favorite to succeed Thibodeau in their initial betting list of potential Knicks’ next head coach. On June 6, the New York Daily News reported that Bryant “remains a top candidate.”
But with the Knicks scheduled to interview Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins for their coaching vacancy, Bryant’s odds have considerably dropped to third place at +350 on DraftKings, the popular sportsbook that has one of the best promos, per sportsgambler.com.
Johnnie Bryant’s Coaching Career Path
The 39-year-old Bryant has long been viewed as one of the rising assistant coaches who is ripe for an NBA head coaching opportunity. While with the Knicks, he interviewed for the Utah Jazz coaching vacancy in 2022, which ultimately went to current head coach Will Hardy.
Bryant started as a player development coach with the Jazz in 2012. In Utah, he forged strong relationships with the franchise stars Gordon Hayward and Donovan Mitchell.
When Thibodeau got the Knicks coaching job, Bryant was brought in to become his top assistant despite having no prior relationship with the veteran head coach. At the time, Bryant was an up-and-coming coach who was being groomed to become a head coach. The move was seen in league circles as a potential backup plan in case the Thibodeau hiring goes awry.
But as the Knicks continued to succeed under Thibodeau, Bryant left for the Cavaliers to reunite with Mitchell.
After Bryant’s departure, the Knicks promoted Rick Brunson, Jalen Brunson‘s father, to become the team’s associate head coach.
Knicks Focused on Veteran Head Coaches
Like Thibodeau, Bryant is represented by Creative Artists Agency, which was once helmed by Leon Rose before taking over as the Knicks’ team president.
Unfortunately for Bryant, the Knicks are currently focused on candidates with head coaching experience.
Rose made it clear in his statement announcing Thibodeau’s firing that the Knicks made the surprising decision because they are “singularly focused on winning a championship.” Getting a first-time head coach is unlikely, given that goal and the pressure that comes with it in a big market like New York.
Thibodeau set a high bar for his successor.
Under Thibodeau’s watch, the Knicks transformed from a perennial lottery team to a contender, culminating with their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. The Knicks reached the playoffs in four of Thibodeau’s five seasons at the helm. Thibodeau left the Knicks as their fourth all-time winningest coach with 226 wins, trailing only Jeff Van Gundy (248), Joe Lapchick (326) and two-time champion coach Red Holzman (613).
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