New York Knicks President Phil Jackson announced Thursday that the team has hired Jeff Hornacek, becoming the 28th head coach in the franchise’s 70-year history in the NBA.
The Knicks and Hornacek have agreed to a three-year deal worth $15 millions with no fourth-year option, according to ESPN.
Hornacek, 53, most recently led the Phoenix Suns as its head coach over parts of three seasons from 2013 through 2016, while engineering a 23-win improvement and a 48-34 record in his first year leading the organization, becoming the runner-up in the 2014 NBA Coach of the Year voting.
He became just the third person in NBA history to be named both Player and Coach of the Month over the course of their career (December 1991, December 2013). He concluded his Phoenix coaching career with a 101-112 (.474) overall record.
The Elmhurst, Ill-native, began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz under head coaches Jerry Sloan and Tyrone Corbin from 2010-11 through 2012-13 following an illustrious 14-year playing career.
Hornacek averaged 14.5 points and 4.9 assists with Phoenix, Philadelphia and Utah, while his teams qualified for the NBA Playoffs 11 times.