Knicks eye Calipari, but coach focused on 'Cats

Knicks eye Calipari, but coach focused on 'Cats

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John Calipari claims he is staying at Kentucky but Knicks are still interested.

ORLANDO John Calipari was still nine months away from winning his first national championship when a coaching confidant broached the subject of possibly coaching the Knicks in the not-so-distant future.

I was explaining the pros and cons and talking about the Knicks roster, said the friend, who wants to remain anonymous. I was basically telling him, Dont do it. Youre better off at Kentucky. Then again, if there is anyone who can do it and win with (Carmelo Anthony), its him.

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Calipari captured the NCAA title on Monday when Kentucky defeated Kansas, and by Wednesday afternoon one of college basketballs most polarizing and talented coaches felt obligated to reject the idea that he is headed to the NBA and Madison Square Garden in particular.

Kentucky is the best job in basketball coaching, Calipari said. Why would I leave? We just won the national title. Were chasing UCLA.

However, several sources tell the Daily News that the club, through its association with Creative Artists Agency, is already targeting the Kentucky coach. CAA represents Anthony as well as Calipari.

Do I think theyve spoken directly to Cal? No, said one source. Do I think he knows theyre very interested? Definitely.

CAA, along with Garden chairman James Dolan, Garden president Scott ONeil and Dolans unpaid adviser, Isiah Thomas, brokered the deal to acquire Anthony from Denver last year. Dolan worked directly with CAA in February to sign J.R. Smith, who began the lockout-shortened season in China.

When it comes to the Knicks and CAA the Knicks are all in, says one rival NBA coach.

Caliparis responses on Wednesday were appropriate from a coach who is not only recruiting players for next years Kentucky team but also understands the unwritten rule of coaching: thou shalt not publicly covet a job currently taken.

Mike Woodson is the interim Knicks head coach and a strong finish could land him a contract extension. Woodson also has close ties to Larry Brown, the former Knicks coach who is a longtime friend and mentor to Calipari. Maybe in his brash days as a rising coaching star at UMass, Calipari would have been more proactive in his pursuit of a bigger payday at the Worlds Most Famous Arena.

But now Calipari is willing to sit back and see how the next few weeks unfold for Woodson, who is fighting to get the Knicks into the playoffs.

Calipari also has a history with Anthony and recruited Amare Stoudemire to the University of Memphis before Stoudemire decided to enter the NBA draft as a high school senior. Yahoo! Sports even painted a scenario on Tuesday where LeBron James, who has a relationship with Calipari, could opt out of his contract following the 2013-14 season and make his way to New York.