List of New York Knicks head coaches

The New York Knicks are an American professional basketball team based in New York City. They are a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They play their home games at Madison Square Garden. The franchise's official name "Knickerbockers" came from the style of pants Dutch settlers wore when they moved to America. ^[1] Having joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the predecessor of the NBA, in 1946, the Knicks remain as one of the oldest teams in the NBA. ^[2] During Red Holzman's tenure, the franchise won its only two NBA championships, the 1970 NBA Finals and the 1973 NBA Finals.

There have been 31 head coaches for the New York Knicks franchise. Holzman was the franchise's first Coach of the Year winner and is the team's all-time leader in regular season games coached, regular season games won, playoff games coached, and playoff games won. ^[3] Holzman was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 as a coach. ^[3] Besides Holzman, Rick Pitino, Don Nelson, Pat Riley, Lenny Wilkens, and Larry Brown have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as coaches. Four coaches have been named to the list of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. ^[4] Neil Cohalan, Joe Lapchick, Vince Boryla, Carl Braun, Eddie Donovan and Herb Williams have spent their entire coaching careers with the Knicks. ^{[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]} Boryla, Braun, Harry Gallatin, Dick McGuire, Willis Reed and Williams formerly played for the Knicks. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}

Key

GC	Games coached
W	Wins
L	Losses
Win%	Winning percentage
#	Number of coaches [a]
*	Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Knicks
†	Elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2024–25 season.

#	Name	Term [b]	GC	W	L	Win%	GC	W	L	Win%	Achievements	Reference
			Regular season				Playoffs
1	Neil Cohalan *	1946–1947	60	33	27	.550	5	2	3	.400		[5]
2	Joe Lapchick *	1947–1956	573	326	247	.569	60	30	30	.500		[6]
3	Vince Boryla *	1956–1958	165	80	85	.485	—	—	—	—		[7]
4	Andrew Levane	1958–1959	99	48	51	.485	2	0	2	.000		[17]
5	Carl Braun *	1959–1961 (as player-coach)	127	40	87	.315	—	—	—	—		[8]
6	Eddie Donovan *	1961–1965	278	84	194	.302	—	—	—	—		[9]
7	Harry Gallatin	1965	63	25	38	.397	—	—	—	—		[18]
8	Dick McGuire	1965–1967	177	75	102	.424	4	1	3	.250		[19]
9	Red Holzman †	1967–1977	783	466	317	.595	95	54	41	.568	NBA Coach of the Year (1969–70) 2 championships (1970, 1973) One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [4]	[3]
10	Willis Reed	1977–1978	96	49	47	.510	6	2	4	.333		[20]
—	Red Holzman †	1978–1982	314	147	167	.468	2	0	2	.000	One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [4]	[3]
11	Hubie Brown	1982–1986	344	142	202	.413	18	8	10	.444		[21]
12	Bob Hill	1986–1987	66	20	46	.303	—	—	—	—		[22]
13	Rick Pitino †	1987–1989	164	90	74	.549	13	6	7	.462		[23]
14	Stu Jackson	1989–1990	97	52	45	.536	10	4	6	.400		[24]
15	John MacLeod	1990–1991	67	32	35	.478	3	0	3	.000		[25]
16	Pat Riley †	1991–1995	328	223	105	.680	63	35	28	.556	NBA Coach of the Year (1992–93) One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [4]	[26]
17	Don Nelson †	1995–1996	59	34	25	.576	—	—	—	—	One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [4]	[27]
18	Jeff Van Gundy	1996–2001	420	248	172	.590	69	37	32	.536		[28]
19	Don Chaney	2001–2004	184	72	112	.391	—	—	—	—		[29]
20	Herb Williams *	2004	1	1	0	1.000	—	—	—	—		[10]
21	Lenny Wilkens †	2004–2005	81	40	41	.494	4	0	4	.000	One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history [4]	[30]
—	Herb Williams *	2005	43	16	27	.372	—	—	—	—		[10]
22	Larry Brown †	2005–2006	82	23	59	.280	—	—	—	—		[31]
23	Isiah Thomas	2006–2008	164	56	108	.341	—	—	—	—		[32]
24	Mike D'Antoni	2008–2012	288	121	167	.420	4	0	4	.000		[33]
25	Mike Woodson	2012–2014	188	109	79	.580	17	7	10	.412		[34]
26	Derek Fisher *	2014–2016	136	40	96	.294	—	—	—	—		[35]
27	Kurt Rambis	2016	28	9	19	.321	—	—	—	—		[36]
28	Jeff Hornacek	2016–2018	164	60	104	.366	—	—	—	—		[37]
29	David Fizdale	2018–2019	104	21	83	.202	—	—	—	—		[38]
30	Mike Miller *	2019–2020	44	17	27	.386	—	—	—	—		[39]
31	Tom Thibodeau	2020–2025	400	226	174	.565	47	24	23	.511	NBA Coach of the Year (2020–21)	[40]
32	Mike Brown	2025–present	—	—	—	–	—	—	—	—		[41]

• 
  Red Holzman was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1969–70, and won 2 championships (1970, 1973).
• 
  Rick Pitino was the coach for the Knicks from 1987 to 1989.
• 
  Pat Riley was the coach for the Knicks from 1991 to 1995.
• 
  Jeff Van Gundy was the coach for the Knicks from 1996 to 2001.
• 
  Mike Woodson was the Knicks' head coach from 2012 to 2014.
• 
  Jeff Hornacek was the Knicks head coach from 2016 to 2018.
• 
  David Fizdale was the Knicks head coach from 2018 to 2019.
• 
  Tom Thibodeau was the Knicks head coach from 2020 to 2025.

Notes

1. A running total of the number of coaches of the Knicks. Thus, any coach who has two or more separate terms as head coach is only counted once.
2. Each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season.

References

General

• "New York Knicks Coach Register". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.

Specific

1. "Why Knickerbockers?". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
2. "History of the New York Knicks". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
3. "Red Holzman Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
4. "Top 10 Coaches in NBA History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
5. "Neil Cohalan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
6. "Joe Lapchick Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
7. "Vince Boryla Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
8. "Carl Braun Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
9. "Eddie Donovan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
10. "Herb Williams Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
11. "Vince Boryla Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 21, 2008. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
12. "Carl Braun Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
13. "Harry Gallatin Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
14. "Dick McGuire Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
15. "Willis Reed Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
16. "Herb Williams Playing Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
17. "Andrew Levane Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on December 4, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
18. "Harry Gallatin Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
19. "Dick McGuire Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
20. "Willis Reed Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 18, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
21. "Hubie Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
22. "Bob Hill Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 14, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
23. "Rick Pitino Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 24, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
24. "Stu Jackson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
25. "John MacLeod Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
26. "Pat Riley Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 7, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
27. "Don Nelson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
28. "Jeff Van Gundy Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on August 3, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
29. "Don Chaney Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
30. "Lenny Wilkens Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
31. "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
32. "Isiah Thomas Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
33. "Mike D'Antoni Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
34. "Mike Woodson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
35. "Derek Fisher Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
36. "Kurt Rambis Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
37. "Jeff Hornacek Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
38. "David Fizdale Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
39. "Mike Miller Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
40. "Tom Thibodeau Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
41. "Mike Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on July 11, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2025.