Just three days after falling to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks made a stunning move by firing head coach Tom Thibodeau. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year (2011, 2021) had overseen one of the most successful stretches in recent franchise history.
During his five-year tenure, Thibodeau led the Knicks to four playoff appearances and back-to-back 50-win seasons — a feat the team had not accomplished since 1994-1995. He guided New York to its first conference finals berth in 25 years and signed a three-year contract extension with the team in July of last year. His .565 winning percentage ranks sixth in franchise history, and according to ESPN, his 24 playoff victories are 17 more than the combined total of the Knicks’ previous 13 head coaches.
While speculation continues to swirl over what ultimately led to Thibodeau’s dismissal, the focus now shifts to who will replace him and take the helm of a franchise that has not reached the NBA Finals since 1999.
One name that has generated much buzz is former Villanova University legend and current CBS college basketball analyst Jay Wright.
Wright, a Bucks County native and graduate of Council Rock High School North and Bucknell University, became head coach at Villanova beginning with the 2001–02 season and went on to craft a storybook career. Over 21 seasons at the helm, he compiled a 520–197 (.725) record, captured five Big East Tournament titles and eight regular-season championships, and guided the Wildcats to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Final Four berths and two national championships in 2016 and 2018.
A two-time Naismith College Coach of the Year and six-time Big East Coach of the Year, Wright was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Aside from Wright’s stellar coaching résumé, another factor that makes him an especially compelling candidate to replace Thibodeau is his prior coaching relationship with current Knicks players Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and 2025 NBA All-Star and All-NBA Second Team selection Jalen Brunson.
Hart, Bridges, and Brunson played together under Wright at Villanova for two seasons, capturing a national championship in 2016. After Hart left for the NBA, Bridges and Brunson remained with the program and led the Wildcats to a second title in 2018.
However, despite what could have been a full-circle moment — and a chance for Wright, Hart, Bridges, and Brunson to reunite in pursuit of a championship at the professional level — it appears Wright has no interest in filling the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy.
As first reported by The New York Post, Wright is “happy in retirement” and has no plans to leave his post-coaching lifestyle for a return to the sidelines in the Big Apple.
While Seth Davis of CBS Sports confirmed that Wright did speak with Knicks president Leon Rose – a close friend – about the coaching vacancy briefly, Wright has maintained his desire to remain retired.
“Wright, 63, has close ties to several members of the Knicks, including team president Leon Rose. Their regular conversations led to Rose’s understanding that Wright isn’t interested in returning to the sideline,” The New York Post reported.
The news appeared to sit well with Hart, who tweeted, “Man thank you. Stay retired!” followed by a laughing emoji in response to a post from SNY’s Ian Begley, who also confirmed that Wright is not interested in the position.
This isn’t the first time Wright’s name has come up in media speculation surrounding an NBA head coaching vacancy. When the Los Angeles Lakers were searching for a new coach last summer — a role that ultimately went to former 76er JJ Redick — Wright’s name was floated by some in the media, though no conversations ever took place between him and the team. Even then, he told The New York Post that he was no longer interested in returning to coaching.
He had expressed a similar sentiment months earlier, in February of last year, telling The Philadelphia Inquirer, “I do know, in my mind, I do not think I’ll coach again. I’m so sure about it.”
While a reunion between Wright and his former Villanova trio would have been an exciting storyline, it appears his coaching days are officially behind him. Wright will continue in his role as a CBS analyst and remains a Special Assistant to the President at Villanova — a position he took on following his retirement from coaching.
With Wright out of the running, the Knicks are reportedly turning their attention to current Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who coached Brunson for one season in Dallas. According to NBA writer Marc Stein, the Knicks are expected to request permission to speak with Kidd, who remains under contract with the Mavericks after signing an extension in May of last year.
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