[h1]Charles Oakley to Knicks: Give Herb Williams the job as head coach[/h1]
BY MARK LELINWALLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, April 23rd 2008, 4:00 AM
Jeff Van Gundy thinks
Mark Jackson is the right man to take over as the
Knicks' coach. Former Knick
Charles Oakley has his own candidate in mind - someone he believes should have gotten the job yearsago.
"They should have gave Herb (Williams) the job, even before Lenny (Wilkens),
Larry Brown and Isiah (Thomas)," the always outspoken Oakley told reportersyesterday.
"That was embarrassing to bring Thomas to New York. What he has done over the last four years for the team was garbage. And being a GM, coach ...toomuch power for a guy that really hasn't done nothing for his (team) to win. He won a championship (playing) with
Detroit, but as far as
Indiana orwhatever, I don't know."
Oakley expressed the utmost confidence in Williams' ability to lead the Knicks, adding that he has been through every level with the team - player,assistant, interim coach - and all that's left is to give him the reins.
"(Herb) would bring just as much as Lenny brought when he was here, more than Isiah, no question," Oakley added. "I think they should givehim a chance because every time they ask him to do something, he's done it over the years. Interim coach, he's done it. So what's left?"
Williams was an assistant under
Don Chaney and Wilkens, and when Wilkensresigned in 2005, Williams was named interim coach.
He went back to being an assistant when Brown took over and was still on the bench for Thomas' disastrous coaching tenure, which ended Friday when newteam president
Donnie Walsh fired him.
Oakley insists Williams should be the Knicks' guy, even though Jackson - an ABC broadcaster who is also a former Knick teammate of Oakley's - isscheduled to meet with Walsh this week.
If Williams doesn't get a look, Oakley has another candidate in mind.
"I think (Williams) should be coach or bring Patrick (
Ewing) back," Oakleysaid. "Patrick at least sat and assistant-coached for years (with
Houston and
Orlando).
"Mark was in the studio ... or whatever."
Not that Oakley doesn't respect Jackson's basketball knowledge, but he thinks if the Knicks bring in a former player, it should be someone withcoaching experience.
"I think New York management's looking for the wrong thing in a coach," Oakley said. "They're looking for somebody, who in the past,has already won championships. Mark was a great point guard. Isiah was a point guard, but he couldn't get across."
Oakley, who splits time between
Atlanta and
Chicago, was in
Manhattan screeninghis new cooking-show pilot - "Cafe Oakley" - for members of the press and close friends.