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New York Knicks: Top 10 candidates to replace Jeff Hornacek as head coach

By Maxwell Ogden

New York Knicks (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
New York Knicks (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PLAYA VISTA, CA – FEBRUARY 20: Jeff Van Gundy coaches the players during practice on February 20, 2018 at the LA Clippers Training Center in Playa Vista, California. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
PLAYA VISTA, CA – FEBRUARY 20: Jeff Van Gundy coaches the players during practice on February 20, 2018 at the LA Clippers Training Center in Playa Vista, California. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Jeff Van Gundy

Jeff Van Gundy spent upwards of a decade with the New York Knicks. He became an assistant coach for the Knicks in 1989, held the position until 1996, and thrived as the franchise’s head coach between 1996 and 2001.

While Van Gundy hasn’t been an NBA coach since 2007, Ian Begley of ESPN New York reports that the fan favorite would have interest in the Knicks job if approached by management.

Van Gundy was an assistant coach for Knicks teams that made an NBA Finals appearance and a pair of trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. As a head coach, he guided the Knicks along the most improbable NBA Finals journey in Association history.

To date, Van Gundy’s 1998-99 Knicks are the first and only team in league history to reach the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed.

The key to Van Gundy’s success with the Knicks was a commitment to defense that featured a vital ability to hold his players accountable. He translated that success to his stint with the Houston Rockets and has prospered in his return to coaching with Team USA.

Van Gundy is a fan favorite who has admittedly been out of the NBA for quite some time, but should be viewed as a realistic option for the Knicks to consider.

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