A lot of people are excited about the prospect of Phil Jackson coming back to coach. Carmelo Anthony isn’t one of them.
The Knicks forward balked at the idea that the team president would come down to the sideline for the 2016-17 season, a concept speculated about in an ESPN feature story on Jackson that was published Monday.
MORE: Classic photos of Phil Jackson | All-time Knicks
"Phil ain't coaching no more, man," Anthony told reporters after Tuesday's practice, via ESPN.com. "So let's dead that rumor. Phil ain't coaching no more.”
Jackson has been rumored to be interested in coaching home games while someone else, possibly interim coach Kurt Rambis, coaches the team on the road.
MORE: Anthony wants Knicks to be active in FA market
Anthony not only doesn’t believe it, he doesn’t want it to happen.
"I wouldn't accept that if that was the case," he said. "Phil is cool, man. He don't need to be on the sidelines no more. He put so many years into this game. He's cool. He don't need to be on the sideline.”
It remains to be seen whether Jackson, who retired from coaching for a third time in 2011, takes the reins in New York. But it's pretty clear that his aging star player isn’t on board with it.