The New York Knicks are planning to interview James Borrego, currently an associate coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, for their open head coaching position. Borrego joins Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, and Micah Nori as the fourth known candidate to receive a formal interview for the job.
Borrego, 47, was previously the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 2018 to 2022, compiling a 138-163 record and leading the team to the play-in tournament twice. He was fired after the 2021-22 season and joined the Pelicans as an assistant in 2023. He also served as interim head coach for the Orlando Magic during part of the 2014-15 season. Borrego began his NBA coaching career with the San Antonio Spurs, where he won two championships under Gregg Popovich.
The Knicks‘ search for a new head coach comes after they fired Tom Thibodeau shortly after he led the team to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. The Knicks have faced resistance in their attempts to interview other head coaches, with several teams denying permission for their coaches to speak with New York.
Borrego is represented by CAA, an agency with close ties to Knicks executives, which also represents other candidates like Taylor Jenkins. His offensive coaching style is seen as a potential fit for the Knicks’ talented roster, which includes All-NBA players Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
In summary, James Borrego is officially among the finalists interviewing for the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy, bringing prior head coaching experience and a strong coaching pedigree to the table as the Knicks seek to build on their recent playoff success.