NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks will name former Stu Jackson, an assistant under Rick Pitino the past two years, as the club's new coach at a Monday news conference.
A club official, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that Jackson will be named to replace Pitino, who left the NBA club in May to take over the Kentucky program.
The Knicks will also announce that Jackson's assistants will be former NBA coach Paul Silas and former Knicks guard Ernie Grunfeld.
Jackson, 33, becomes the 14th coach in Knicks history and the youngest head coach in the NBA. He was the winner of an intense search that included Dallas Coach John MacLeod, the former boss of Knicks General Manager Al Bianchi, who turned the club down twice.
A native of Reading, Pa., Jackson began his coaching career in 1981 at Oregon, then went to Washington State in 1983 as an assistant coach. He joined Pitino at Providence in 1985 and followed him to the Knicks in 1987.
Jackson was one of the original 'Kamikaze Kids' when he played at Oregon under Dick Harter, now coach of theCharlotte Hornets. With Jackson starting at forward, Oregon earned two bids to the National Invitation Tournament.
