Former Knicks coach Mike Woodson back in NBA after Indiana flameout
Mike Woodson is returning to the NBA.
The former Knicks coach was officially named the associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings under Doug Christie on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Woodson, 67, will head back to the league after spending the last four years as the head coach at Indiana before stepping down after last season.
Advertisement
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson in the first half against Oregon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The Hoosiers went 82-53 under Woodson, but underwhelmed given the program's high standards, failing to make it past the Round of 32 in two NCAA Tournament appearances and missing the tournament the last two years.
Indiana had been one of the highest NIL spending teams in the country and was ranked No. 17 in the preseason AP poll.
Woodson, who played college ball under Bobby Knight at Indiana, was drafted 12th overall by the Knicks in the 1980 draft.
Advertisement
He spent 11 years in the NBA, including five seasons with the Kings, before becoming an assistant head coach with the Bucks in 1996.
After several stints across the league, including a head coaching gig with the Hawks from 2004-10.
Woodson became a Knicks assistant in 2011, later becoming the franchise's head coach from 2012-14, going 109-79.
Advertisement
Carmelo Anthony calls out a play to his team in front of Knicks head coach Mike Woodson in the second half of
a game against the Wizards on April 4, 2014.
EPA
In 2012-13, Woodson led the Knicks to one of the best seasons in recent franchise history, winning 54 games and reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals.
He later returned to the Knicks as an assistant in 2020 before heading to Indiana.
Woodson will look to help the Kings return to the postseason after falling short in the play-in tournament in each of the past two seasons.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
17 minutes ago
- Forbes
Bill Walton's Auction Is A Long, Strange Trip Through His Life
Former basketball player and sportscaster Bill Walton, who passed away last year, gestures after ... More throwing the first pitch at a San Diego Padres game in 2019. The Walton family is auctioning his possessions and donating a portion of the funds to the UC San Diego Health Center. (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez, File) The auction of Bill Walton's personal memorabilia is nearing its end and in the words of the basketball great, if you have a bid, throw it down. Artifacts from Walton's days as one of the game's all-time best players, mementos from his road to greatness and, of course, treats from his long, strange trip following the Grateful Dead, are among the nearly 300 items being presented by Hunt Auctions. Walton, who won two titles in the NBA and at UCLA, passed away last year after a battle with cancer. Bill Walton (5) of the Boston Celtics goes up to block the shot of Paul Pressey (25) of the ... More Milwaukee Bucks during an 1986 game. Walton won the NBA title that season with the Celtics. (Photo by Focus) "On behalf of the entire Walton family, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to Hunt Auctions for its meticulous care in organizing Bill's possessions,'' said Lori Walton, his widow. The treasure drove of Walton items is just that. Everything from the first rim he aimed for at his La Mesa, Calif., home to his Helix High School letterman's jacket. Many items from Bill Walton's run to the NBA title with the Portland Trail Blazers, are available ... More through his auction of personal items. From his UCLA stint as the leader of the Walton Gang, there are his NCAA champion rings, watches, awards, game-worn jerseys and shoes. Walton also won NBA championships with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics and both of those title runs are well-represented. Among the momentos are his uniforms, signed basketballs and even the Wallace Park shirt Walton made famous when wearing it during the Trail Blazers' 1977 championship parade. Walton, a prolific reader and letter-writer, has signed replies and notes from the likes of John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy and Rick Barry. Music was among the things Walton embraced with the same zest as he did sports and literture. A son of a trumpet player, Walton's love of the Grateful Dead, and others, is found with his various souvenirs. Bill Walton attends the Grateful Dead concert at California State University at Dominguez Hills in ... More 1990 in Carson, Calif. (Photo by) Bids are open on the iconic Father Time outfits he wore at the Grateful Dead's New Year Eve's shows, his collection of tie-dyed T-shirts, a framed collage collection of backstage passes, jackets, signed photos, posters and two custom-made, Grateful Dead-theme bikes. Other groups that Walton obtained autographed items from include Fleetwood Mac, Chicago and Pearl Jam. Among the auction's benefactors is the University of California San Diego Health Center. It was there that Walton had an operation that allowed him to regain his mobility. 'In 2008, Bill underwent life-saving back surgery at UC San Diego Health, and he credits his surgeon, Dr. Steven Garfin, for his remarkable recovery,'' Lori Walton said. "In honor of Dr. Garfin, we are donating a portion of the auction proceeds to UC San Diego Health.'' Bids remain open through Thursday at 'The items in the auction held immense sentimental value for Bill,'' Lori Walton said. 'We are hopeful that they find loving homes where they will be cherished just as much as Bill did.
Indianapolis Star
24 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Who is fast-rising recruit from Italy Luigi Suigo? Stats, highlights, scouting report
Luigi Suigo, a Class of 2026 recruit from Italy, is being recruited by just about all the college basketball heavyweights, including Indiana and Purdue. The versatile 7-foot-2 18-year-old has also heard from Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, Louisville, BYU and Texas A&M. He's already visited Illinois, per 247Sports, and has visits lined up to IU and Purdue, On3 reported. Here's what to know about the fast-rising prospect. 2024-25 for Milan in Italian lower pro division: 9.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocked shots in seven games. 2024-25 for Milan in international Under-18 play: 13.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 blocked shots in eight games. He can use either hand near the basket, but rarely sets up in post position. He can play out of a pick-and-roll and make 3-pointers. He is an able passer in the halfcourt or starting a fast break, and he can run the court.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Knicks head coaching search: Updates, latest news as New York is denied permission to interview Jason Kidd, Quin Snyder and others
The New York Knicks are still on the prowl for their next head coach after turning heads with the firing of Tom Thibodeau on June 3. Yahoo Sports is tracking the team's search; here's what's developed thus far: A stuttering search so far... Thibodeau resuscitated the Knicks in 2020 after seven straight losing seasons. He eventually led them to back-to-back 50-win campaigns and, ultimately, their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. Advertisement Whoever the Knicks hire next will be expected to one-up Thibodeau's accomplishments and lead New York to its first NBA championship since 1973. That's quite the ask, and the Knicks are still trying to find a candidate they think can reach it — and who can actually meet to talk about the job. The Knicks have already been denied permission to interview Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and the Atlanta Hawks' Quin Snyder by their respective teams, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Kidd had the Mavericks in the NBA Finals last season and the Western Conference finals two seasons before that. Finch just guided the Timberwolves to their second straight Western Conference finals appearance. And Udoka ended a four-year playoff drought for the Houston Rockets this season — by a wide margin, too, as the Rockets secured the No. 2 seed in the West before suffering a first-round playoff exit. Advertisement Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright reportedly told the Knicks last week that he wouldn't be interested in the vacancy. Notably, Wright coached three of New York's current starters — Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges — while leading Villanova to two national championships in three years (Hart was there for the first title, Brunson and Bridges were there for both). The firing of Tom Thibodeau... Thibodeau was fired on June 3, three days after the Knicks' best playoff run in 25 years came to an end. New York lost to the red-hot, run-and-gun Indiana Pacers in six games, and Thibodeau was suddenly out. The Knicks had previously knocked the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics out of the playoffs and, prior to that, fought tooth and nail to hold off the upstart Detroit Pistons in another six-game series. Advertisement Following Thibodeau's firing, Knicks President Leon Rose said in a statement that the move is what "we feel is best for our organization moving forward," though he did thank Thibodeau for everything he poured into the organization and his on-court success. Tom Thibodeau was fired by the Knicks despite helming their return to relevance over the last few seasons. (Photo by) (Gregory Shamus via Getty Images) Why this was surprising... Thibodeau's firing followed a breakthrough season for the Knicks. He guided them to 51 regular-season wins in 2024-25 — their most in 12 years — and an inspiring playoff run, in part fueled by the fourth-quarter magic of Jalen Brunson and a string of gritty-not-pretty efforts from star center Karl-Anthony Towns. Advertisement Thibodeau's Knicks also hit the 50-win mark last season and won a playoff series for the second year in a row. They hadn't notched back-to-back 50-win seasons since they won 50-plus games in four straight seasons from 1991-95. The 67-year-old Thibodeau earned his second NBA Coach of the Year honor in 2020-21, his debut season with the Knicks, after leading them to their first winning record and playoff appearance since 2012-13. During Thibodeau's five-year stay in New York, his Knicks had one losing season, and that came in 2021-22 when they went 37-45 and missed the playoffs. He previously served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls (2010-15) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2016-19). Thibodeau has a career head coaching record of 578-420 (.579). He has yet to win an NBA championship as a head coach; he won a title as the Celtics' associate head coach in 2008. Since Thibodeau signed an extension with New York in 2024, the Knicks still owe him at least $30 million as part of that deal, SNY's Ian Begley reported last week. Even though a few big names appear out of the running, the Knicks will still have options in their coaching search. Whether those options are, or will be, upgrades over Thibodeau is certainly up for debate. Advertisement It's important to note the possibility of someone like Kidd, despite being denied an interview opportunity, trying to force his current team's hand, if he in fact wants to coach elsewhere. But coaching trades, which are quite rare, usually demand draft compensation. The Knicks could also go the route of hiring of a former head coach such as Michael Malone, Mike Budenholzer or even Jeff Van Gundy. Malone was fired by Denver before this year's playoffs after piloting the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship in 2023, and is the franchise's all-time winningest head coach. Budenholzer struggled in his two seasons with the Phoenix Suns, except his 2021 NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks isn't far in the rear-view mirror — he's also a two-time NBA Coach of the Year (once with the Bucks and once with the Atlanta Hawks). Van Gundy is currently a lead assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and hasn't held a head coaching position since 2007. That said, he's the last Knicks coach to get the franchise to the NBA Finals. Advertisement The New York Post reported last week that Luke Walton and Mike Brown have also been mentioned as names to watch. Walton, now a lead assistant for the Detroit Pistons, posted a 166-241 (.408) record as a full-time head coach across his stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Unlike Walton, Brown got the Kings to the playoffs. He did so in 2022-23, his first season with the organization. Brown, who notably coached LeBron James during his first go-around in Cleveland, was fired by the Kings 31 games into this season. Additionally, The Athletic listed former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, former Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego as potential candidates of interest. Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates in the Knicks' head coaching search:
