As rumors swirl on who the next Knicks head coach will be after this season, one name that's come up is Kentucky head coach John Calipari.
However, his former player and current Knicks forward Kevin Knox believes that Calipari will stay in Kentucky.
"When Cal says he's not going to do something, he's pretty solid that he's not going to do it," Knox said Tuesday at Knicks practice. "...He runs that state, the fans love him there. He's got the basketball program on lock there."
Knox added: "I don't think he would leave that opportunity to keep helping kids get to the NBA, that's something he really loves to do."
Despite Calipari stating last week that he'd help expected Knicks president Leon Rose in any way he can except for coming to coach, NBA agent David Falk thinks otherwise, and doesn't believe Calipari when he says he won't coach the Knicks
"I'm waiting for, I'll take bets on how long it's going to take before they hire John Calipari to be the next coach," Falk said on the Beningo and Roberts Show on Friday. "I'd say 30 seconds. And I hope it works, I'm rooting for him to make it work."
Julius Randle also chimed in on Calipari's chances to coach the Knicks: "I talked him yesterday. He said he's coming. He's in. I'm sure he'll be here soon. Make sure y'all tell him I said that. Nah, I'm messing with you," Randle said jokingly.
"I think he's sitting on a pretty high throne at Kentucky. I think he's very comfortable there. But I can't speak for him. So I don't know. But just looking from the outside in, I think he's living great at Kentucky right now. And they're doing great."
Randle also talked on the differences between coaching in college vs. the NBA.
"It's different. I wish he would've cussed me out now. I'd have something to say to him. No, it's different. One thing about Cal, man, he's great. He's a great motivator," Randle said. "I learned so many life lessons when I was at Kentucky about being a man and about being a basketball player just in general. But he's a great motivator, for sure."
With 28 games left for the Knicks and the team already firing David Fizdale and Steve Mills this season, a fresh start couldn't come sooner to this organization.