ESPN’s Jay Williams Pushes for Ime Udoka to Coach Knicks — But He’s Reportedly Not Interested [Video]

The New York Knicks coaching vacancy will be one of, if not the, lead story during the NBA offseason. When one of the most popular teams in the league has an opening like this, a multitude of names get tossed around—even those of currently employed coaches. ESPN’s Jay Williams threw out his first pick during “First Take” this morning.

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“I do think there is a coach out there, who is currently coaching the Houston Rockets, that would be the most amazing fit in New York City, and that’s Ime Udoka,” Williams said.

“A guy that understands the Boston Celtics and how they built with Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge and what their personnel looks like… he (Ime) has a similar but updated culture in Houston with some young dogs, where he’s built a pretty incredible foundation over a quick period.”

Williams is right about the impact Udoka has had on the Houston Rockets franchise, finishing 41-41 in his first season and improving to 52-30 in his second. Udoka remains hungry to return to the NBA Finals after leading the Boston Celtics there in 2022 before ultimately falling to the Golden State Warriors.

According to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, both Udoka and the Rockets are focused on Houston’s offseason, and Udoka reportedly has no interest in the Knicks’ job.