Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reported Friday that the former Brooklyn Nets coach has “legitimate” support within the New York Knicks organization to earn their head coaching position.
Atkinson, 53, was fired by the Nets in March after four seasons as their coach. While his 118-190 record in Brooklyn was subpar, Atkinson helped the team right the ship from being stuck at the bottom of the Eastern Conference to returning to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a half-decade.
Widely lauded for his player and culture development skills, Atkinson ran into trouble in Brooklyn when it came to relating to his new superstar free agents. The Knicks, meanwhile, are a team of younger, less-established players, so Atkinson could be a good fit for them.
Still though, there is one notable presumed frontrunner for the Knicks job who is standing in Atkinson’s way.
