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It’s been out for a while now that Jeff Hornacek was to become the new head coach of the New York Knicks, but the news became official yesterday. Hornacek becomes the 28th head coach in the franchise’s 70-year history in the National Basketball Association.
“Jeff has a tremendous basketball acumen and possesses strong leadership skills,” said team President Phil Jackson. “During his career as both a player and coach, he has demonstrated the ability to elevate the game.”
“I am extremely excited and honored to be the next coach of such an historic franchise,” Hornacek said. “I look forward to working with Phil – a coach and teacher of the game I have admired for many years – and collaborating with him and our staff to take this team to the level that Knicks fans expect.”
Hornacek, 53, most recently led the Phoenix Suns as its head coach over parts of three seasons from 2013 through 2016, while engineering a 23-win improvement and a 48-34 record in his first year leading the organization, becoming the runner-up in the 2014 NBA Coach of the Year voting. He became just the third person in NBA history to be named both Player and Coach of the Month over the course of their career (December 1991, December 2013). He concluded his Phoenix coaching career with a 101-112 (.474) overall record.
The Elmhurst, Ill-native, began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz under head coaches Jerry Sloan and Tyrone Corbin from 2010-11 through 2012-13 following an illustrious 14-year playing career.
