D’Antoni in 2012?

by Tommy Dee on August 28th, 2008 at 2:39 pm

SI.com is reporting that Mike D’Antoni is on a very short list to be named head coach of the Olympic team for the London games in 2012.

“Now that Coach K. has helped restore the U.S. to its rightful place atop the world basketball throne, who will be his replacement? Don’t you think it should be an NBA coach this time around?
– Dom, Chicago

It’s too early to say right now. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan are two prominent names you will hear in the coming days. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, an assistant on Coach K.’s staff this year and an experienced hand in international play, also could be in the mix. Either way, I think it will be an NBA coach. I don’t see another Coach K. out there on the college landscape right now who could step in and handle a team full of NBA egos.

Obviously, D’Antoni got a ton of credit for how effective his offensive system was in China, and the players love him, so he should be atop the list.

The question for me is, which player will represent the Knicks in the Olympics. There’s going to be at least one.