NBA.com praised Isiah.. Heres his coaching bio.........................
Thomas' impact upon the Knicks has been swift and dramatic, as he has engineered trades to bring the likes of
Stephon Marbury,
Jamal Crawford,
Steve Francis,
Eddy Curry,
Jalen Rose and
Quentin Richardson to New York, as well as the free agent signings of Jared Jeffries and Jerome James. He has also overseen three successful drafts in 2004-05-06, acquiring the dynamic trio of All-Rookie First Team forward
Channing Frye, slam dunk champion
Nate Robinson and tenacious
David Lee in ’05, as well as promising
Renaldo Balkman and
Mardy Collins in ’06.
Thomas’ patience and ability to stick to his long-term plan, rebuilding the organization through a balance of youth, athleticism and experience, have re-energized the franchise (every player on the Knicks’ roster has been acquired during Thomas’ regime). Taking on the added role of head coach, he brings a singular philosophy - both short- and long-term - for returning the Knicks to elite status.
The Basketball Hall of Famer assumed his current role when he was appointed the 23rd head coach in franchise history on Jun. 22, 2006. “I’m extremely excited to be coaching again, and be back on the bench,” says Thomas, 45. “I love coaching, I enjoy it. I love working with people and probably the most significant impact you can have on a person’s life is by coaching him through adversity.