Several coaching candidates have emerged in New York as the Knicks look to replace fired Tom Thibodeau after the franchise’s most successful season in a quarter century.

As reported by former ESPN NBA Insider Marc Stein, that list includes retired Villanova coach Jay Wright, Cleveland Cavaliers ᴀssistant Johnnie Bryant, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Ime Udoka, the Houston Rockets head coach who was previously suspended and fired by the Boston Celtics over allegations of an improper affair with a team staffer.

The Celtics initially believed the relationship was consensual, but the woman later claimed Udoka made unwanted comments towards her, leading to his 2022 suspension and 2023 dismissal. Udoka, 47, has since apologized to the team, its fans, and his family for ‘letting them down.’

Udoka had been engaged to actress Nia Long before the scandal broke in the summer of 2022, resulting in their split and a custody battle over their son. She later told rapper Jeezy on a podcast that her relationship with Udoka ‘was rocky for a very long time.’

The Celtics replaced Udoka with interim coach Joe Mazzulla, who won a тιтle in Boston last season before being upset by the Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. 

Udoka resurrected his career in Houston, where he revitalized the Rockets into a playoff team

Udoka and actress Nia Long were engaged for years before the scandal broke in 2022 

But the former journeyman NBA forward got another chance to coach with Houston in 2023 and has since returned the Rockets to prominence. Houston finished second in the West this season before a first-round upset to the Golden State Warriors.

Another intriguing candidate is Kidd, who, like Udoka, briefly played for New York before embarking on a coaching career.

Like Udoka, Kidd is still under contract, and the Knicks might need to offer the Rockets or Mavericks compensation if they do end up hiring either candidate.

Interestingly, this would be the second time Kidd was traded as a coach after the Brookly Nets allowed him to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2014 in exchange for two second-round draft picks.

One of the greatest point guards in NBA history, Kidd has been up and down as a coach. He did guide the Mavs to the 2024 Finals before the team missed the playoffs this season following a major injury to Kyrie Irving and the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

Wright has been mentioned by a number of basketball insiders, due to his connections with Knicks stars Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, all of whom played for Wright at Villanova.

Josh Hart (far left), Jay Wright (center left) and Jalen Brunson (center right) celebrate 

Knicks stars and ex-Villanova players (from left) Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges

These days Wright works as a college basketball analyst at CBS alongside Seth Davis, who appeared to shoot down Wright’s candidacy on Tuesday.

‘I have been working with Jay Wright on TV for three years,’ Davis wrote on X. ‘Based on every conversation we have had I would say there is a greater chance that I will be the next Knicks coach than him. The difference is if they call me I will say yes.’

Although many expect the Knicks to inquire about Connecticut head coach and two-time national champion Dan Hurley, a more realistic option may be Bryant, who worked under NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland this season.

This season the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, but were ultimately upset by the Pacers in six games.

In fact, the Knicks reached the playoffs in four of five seasons under Thibodeau, who led the team to its first back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since the 1990s. This came after the Knicks failed to reach the playoffs in seven seasons prior to Thibodeau’s arrival.

Nico Harrison and Mavs coach Jason Kidd speak to the media after the Doncic trade

Both Kidd (right) and Udoka (left) briefly played for the Knicks before becoming coaches 

Thibodeau finishes his career in New York with a .511 winning percentage, which ranks fourth in team history behind Red Holzman, Pat Riley and his former boss, Van Gundy. Remarkably, Thibodeau has the highest career winning percentage (.579) of any coach who hasn’t reached an NBA Finals, according to ESPN.

Thibodeau was an ᴀssistant under Riley and Van Gundy in the late 1990s and early 2000s before joining Van Gundy with Houston and working with Doc Rivers in Boston. Ultimately Thibodeau was given the Chicago Bulls head-coaching job in 2010, and has since coached the Minnesota Timberwolves as well.

One surprising candidate did toss his hat into the ring on Tuesday: Metta World Peace.

The mercurial former NBA forward born Ron Artest played briefly for the Knicks at the end of his career, but is better known as a Queens native and former St. John’s star, in addition to his turbulent tenure in the ᴀssociation.

‘Metta is the perfect choice for head coach of the @nyknicks,’ he wrote on X in third person.