Jay Wright, the former head coach of Villanova University, is not being considered for the New York Knicks’ head coaching position, according to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein shared on Twitter.
Despite maintaining a close personal relationship with Knicks president Leon Rose, with whom he reportedly communicates often, Wright remains content in his retirement.
Rose, familiar with Wright’s outlook, understands that the longtime college coach has no interest in returning to the sidelines.
Wright stepped away from coaching in 2022 after an illustrious 21-year tenure leading the Villanova Wildcats.
Since his retirement, the 63-year-old has transitioned into broadcasting and currently serves as a college basketball analyst for CBS.
Though his name briefly surfaced in speculation following the departure of Tom Thibodeau, insiders quickly dispelled the idea that Wright would come out of retirement for the Knicks or any other NBA team.
As recently as June of last year, Wright publicly stated that he had no desire to pursue coaching opportunities at the professional level, reaffirming his commitment to retirement.
His name naturally came up in connection with the Knicks due to his deep ties to several of their current players, including Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart – all of whom starred for him during their college careers at Villanova.
Wright’s coaching résumé includes leading the Wildcats to four Final Four appearances and capturing two NCAA championships in 2016 and 2018.
Despite his storied success and the strong Villanova-Knicks player pipeline, multiple Knicks beat writers have corroborated that he is not under consideration for the team’s head coaching vacancy.
Jay Wright Not A Candidate For Knicks' Coaching Job https://t.co/Sbdtm7e4fn pic.twitter.com/uLrvr5hGXp
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) June 7, 2025
