By InsideHoops.com

NEW YORK, April 15, 2003 - New York Knickerbockers President and General Manager Scott Layden announced today that the organization has signed Head Coach Don Chaney to a multi-year contract. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, per team policy.

"Don has done a tremendous job of implementing a system and getting his players to respond to that system in a positive manner," Layden said. "His on and off court leadership of the organization has been exemplary. We are pleased to sign him to this contract."

"Don is a great leader who has clearly earned the respect of his players. We're confident that he is the right person to coach the New York Knicks," said James L. Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden and president and CEO of Cablevision Systems Corporation. "Don has exhibited all the qualities we knew he had when we first made him head coach and we expect that those qualities will serve the organization well moving forward."

"Don is a person of great character who continues to prove what a solid leader he is for the organization," added Steve Mills, MSG President, Sports Team Operations. "I, along with everyone else in the organization, am pleased to give Don this new contract."

"The amount of confidence this organization has shown in me and my coaching ability has been unmatched," Chaney said. "I am honored to have the opportunity to be with this group of players - ones with an incredible amount of character and winning attitude - for seasons to come and work to reach our ultimate goal of bringing an NBA Championship back to New York."

Chaney has 24 years of coaching experience, including 11 as a head coach. At the helm of the Houston Rockets from 1988-92, he posted a 164-134 (.550) record (second-best in franchise history) and earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1991. He also had head coaching stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (1984-87) and Detroit Pistons (1993-95) and has an all-time head coaching record of 276-409 (.403) going into the 2002-03 season. He has spent the last eight years with the Knicks organization, serving as top assistant for both Don Nelson and Jeff Van Gundy, before taking over the head coaching reigns on Dec. 10, 2001. He is the 19th head coach in the Knicks' 57 years of basketball.

The Louisiana native played professional basketball for 12 years, was part of two NBA Championships as a member of the Boston Celtics (in 1969 and 1974) and was a five-time NBA All-Defensive Second-Team selection. Chaney was a first round pick of the Celtics out of the University of Houston in 1968, and spent nine of his 12 seasons in Boston. He also spent two years with the Los Angeles Lakers, a season with the ABA's legendary Spirits of St. Louis, and holds the unique distinction of being the only player to play alongside both Bill Russell and Larry Bird.