Johnnie Bryant marks the second coaching staff hire of the Tom Thibodeau era for the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks are expected to hire Utah Jazz assistant coach Johnnie Bryant as associate head coach, The Athletic’s Shams Charnia first reported.
Bryant, 34, joined the Jazz in 2012 as a player development coach and was promoted to assistant coach under Quin Snyder in 2014. Bryant is known for his player developing prowess, working with quite a few star players such Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, and most recently Donovan Mitchell, Utah’s All-Star guard.
Bryant joins Kenny Payne as the first official hires to Tom Thibodeau’s staff, and reaffirms the organization’s emphasis on player development.
Former Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is also rumored to join Thibodeau’s bench, along with interim head coach Mike Miller, the latter of whom joined the staff under David Fizdale and later assumed interim duties following the dismissal.
Utah is currently embroiled in a first-round playoff series matchup with the Western Conference’s third seed, the Denver Nuggets, who defeated the Jazz in Game 1 on Monday in overtime in spite of Mitchell’s 57-point effort.
UPDATE: 5:41 p.m. ET.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Mike Miller will not be retained by Thibodeau and the Knicks despite being under contract.
Mike Miller, who briefly rejuvenated the Knicks last season after taking over for David Fizdale, will not be serving on Tom Thibodeau’s staff, according to sources. He’s under contract and there was speculation he’d be retained as an assistant after his impressive stint.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) August 18, 2020
Related Content
»READ: Despite front office additions, patience is key for New York’s roster
