The New York Knicks won the first-ever BAA game against the Toronto Huskies on Nov. 1, 1946. Since then, Madison Square Garden has seen many big names lead the franchise from the sidelines.
The Knicks have had plenty of highs and lows since they were founded in 1946. Each head coach has played a role in shaping the team’s history. Here’s a look at every Knicks head coach in NBA history.
BAA Years and Early NBA Success
- Neil Cohalan (1946–47): The Knicks’ first head coach led the team to a 33-27 season. They beat the Cleveland Rebels in the quarterfinals but lost to the Philadelphia Warriors in the semifinals.
- Joe Lapchick (1947–56): Under Lapchick, the Knicks made the playoffs nine straight years and reached the NBA Finals three times (1951–53). They never won a title, but were consistent contenders.
Multiple Changes in Transition Phase
- Vince Boryla (1956–58): A former Knicks All-Star, Boryla coached during a tough stretch. The team missed the playoffs both seasons.
- Andrew Levane (1958–59): Levane led the Knicks to the division semifinals in his only full season. He finished with a 48-51 regular-season record.
- Carl Braun (1959–61): Braun was a player-coach. Handling both roles seemed to affect performance. The team didn’t make the playoffs and went 40-87 under him.
- Eddie Donovan (1961–65): Donovan went 104-209 as head coach. While wins were hard to come by, he helped scout and draft future stars, including 1965 Rookie of the Year Willis Reed.
- Harry Gallatin (1965): Gallatin took over after Donovan left during the 1964–65 season. He didn’t finish a full season with the team.
- Dick McGuire (1965–67): A former player, McGuire returned to coach. He went 75-102 but didn’t break the playoff drought.
Knicks’ Rise to the Top
- Red Holzman (1967–77, 1978–82): Holzman is the only coach to win a title with the Knicks, leading them to championships in 1970 and 1973. He coached over 1,000 games, finishing with a 613-484 regular-season record and a 54-43 mark in the playoffs. He won NBA Coach of the Year for the 1969–70 season.
- Willis Reed (1977–78): Reed, who helped the team win two titles as a player, came back to coach. He led the Knicks to the conference semifinals in his lone season.
Knicks Rebuild Amid Challenges
- Hubie Brown (1982–86): Brown replaced Holzman and led the Knicks to the conference semifinals in his first two years. He went 142-202 with the team.
- Bob Hill (1986–87): Hill coached during an injury-filled season and finished with a 20-46 record.
- Rick Pitino (1987–89): Pitino went 90-74 and took the Knicks to the playoffs both years.
- Stu Jackson (1989–90): Jackson went 52-45 and helped the Knicks win a playoff series against the Boston Celtics in 1990.
- John MacLeod (1990–91): MacLeod finished 32-35 and made the playoffs, but the Knicks were knocked out in the first round.
Knicks End the 20th Century on a High
- Pat Riley (1991–95): Riley built a strong, defense-first team. The Knicks were title contenders every season under him and reached the NBA Finals in 1994. He won Coach of the Year in 1993.
- Don Nelson (1995–96): Nelson had a 34-25 record but didn’t mesh with the team’s defensive identity. He didn’t finish the season.
- Jeff Van Gundy (1996–2001): Promoted from assistant coach, Van Gundy went 248-172. He made the playoffs five times and led the Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals.
Knicks Decline and Rebuild
- Don Chaney (2001–04): Chaney had early success, but roster changes and injuries hurt his run. He finished 72-112.
- Lenny Wilkens (2004–05): Wilkens went 40-41 and made the playoffs, but the team was swept.
- Herb Williams (2005): Williams served as interim coach and went 17-27.
- Larry Brown (2005–06): Brown joined the Knicks after a title win with Detroit, but it didn’t work out. He went 23-59 in one season.
- Isiah Thomas (2006–08): Thomas went 56-108 and faced criticism for trades and off-court issues.
- Mike D’Antoni (2008–12): D’Antoni posted a 121-167 record with a fast-paced offense. He led the team to its first winning season in nine years. The Linsanity run in 2012 was a bright spot.
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- Mike Woodson (2012–14): Woodson led the Knicks to a 54-28 season in 2012–13, their best in over a decade. He went 109-79 overall.
- Derek Fisher (2014–16): A former player, Fisher went 40-96. His triangle offense didn’t click with the roster.
- Kurt Rambis (2016): Rambis was interim coach and finished 9-19.
- Jeff Hornacek (2016–18): Hornacek struggled to turn things around. He went 60-104.
- David Fizdale (2018–19): Fizdale posted a 21-83 record, the lowest win percentage in team history.
- Mike Miller (2019–20): Miller stepped in as interim coach and went 17-27.
The Tom Thibodeau Era
- Tom Thibodeau (2020–present): Thibodeau turned things around in his first season, going 41-31 and winning NBA Coach of the Year. In five years, he has gone 226-174 in the regular season and 23-22 in the playoffs. He’s led the Knicks to four postseason appearances.
Tom Thibodeau has passed Pat Riley for fourth place on the Knicks’ all-time coaching wins list 👏 pic.twitter.com/t6sLW3IsKo
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 5, 2025
Holzman is still the only coach to win an NBA title with the Knicks. But things are trending up under Thibodeau. He might be the one to end the team’s long title drought.
