Stephen A's Take: Stephen A gives passionate and critical commentary on the New York Knicks' current coaching situation.

The Stephen A. Smith Show

Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture, Sports

4.6 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 15 June 2025

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.

🎙️ Main Themes in the Script

Coaching Search Chaos:
- The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
- Multiple teams (Mavericks, Timberwolves, Rockets, Bulls, Hawks) denied the Knicks permission to interview their head coaches.
- The Knicks appear to lack a clear plan for a replacement.
Criticism of Potential Candidates:
- Quin Snyder: Acknowledged as a good coach, but not seen as a strong enough replacement for Thibodeau.
- Billy Donovan: Respected, but not the right fit for the Knicks at this time.
- Jason Kidd and Mike Malone: Not available or not even interviewed, raising questions.
Support for Mark Jackson:
- Strong advocacy for Mark Jackson, citing his New York roots, coaching history with the Warriors, and broadcasting career.
- Expresses frustration that Jackson hasn’t been given another coaching opportunity in over a decade.
Support for Sam Cassell:
- Praised for his experience, championship pedigree, and ability to connect with players.
- Seen as a viable and deserving candidate.
Critique of Knicks Leadership:
- Questions about James Dolan’s influence and Leon Rose’s decision-making.
- Suggests internal chaos and lack of direction within the organization.

Would you like me to help turn this into a polished article, a video script, or perhaps a social media post?

Support the show: http://www.youtube.com/@stephenasmith

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is an IHeart podcast. Only you know what your laptop really is, your storyboard, your soundstage,
0:09.1	your sandbox, and what it takes to create, speed, power, precision. So get started building your
0:15.3	custom PC only at Lenovo.com slash customize, from frame perfect edits to color accurate displays to processes that crush 4K.
0:23.9	Only you know what you need and you won't find it better anywhere else.
0:27.8	Build your Lenovo PC at Lenovo.com slash customize.
0:34.4	The Made for This Mountain Podcast exists to empower listeners to rise above their inner struggles and face the mountain in front of them.
0:42.7	So during Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional well-being, and then climb that mountain.
0:49.6	You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify.
0:53.5	The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain.
0:56.4	This is the struggle.
0:57.6	Listen to Made for This Mountain on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:08.2	Let's get to the New York Knicks in their search for a new head coach, which doesn't appear to be going well, by the way.
1:13.6	The Knicks, who fired Tom Libido after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, have been turned down by several teams seeking to speak to their head coach.
1:22.6	According to multiple sources, the Mavericks denied the next permission to interview Jason Kidd.
1:28.0	The Timberwolves did the same with Chris Finch.
1:30.7	The Rockers did the same with E. May Udoka.
1:32.9	The Bulls did the same with Billy Donovan.
1:35.3	And the Hawks did the same with Quinn Snyder.
1:37.7	So the situation looks disastrous for New York,
1:40.4	who fired the head coach that led them
1:42.1	to the Eastern Conference Finals without a plan.
1:44.4	Here's my point.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 16 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.