Former Knicks point guard Raymond Felton joined Knicks Fan TV recently and talked about several topics, including two coaches who are expected to interview with New York during its head-coaching search.
Here's Felton on Mike Woodson, who coached the point guard and the Knicks to 54 wins and a playoff series win in 2012-13:
"I love him to death, he still should be the coach there in my opinion," Felton said on the show, co-hosted by CP of Knicks Fan TV and J. Ellis from The Knick of Time Show. "He's like a coach, a father figure, all of the above for me."
Reflecting on playing for Woodson from 2012-2014, Felton said: "That coaching staff was amazing. Woody was great. He was a coach that understood. He gave us the freedom but at the same time, he let us know he was in charge. It got times where we had battles, at times we had our disagreements as players and coaches, but at the end of the day, we respected each other. And I think a lot of that is missing in the game nowadays where sometimes these young guys don't respect their coaches and that's not a good thing.
"I miss those days when a coach would get on you and you would take it," Felton added. "...That's how it should be. And every player should take it and know that it's coming from a good place. It ain't coming from, 'I'm trying to disrespect you, I'm trying to embarrass you.' It's coming from, 'I'm trying to get the best out of you.'"
Kenny Atkinson, another coach expected to interview with the Knicks, was an assistant coach under Mike D'Antoni during Felton's first stint in New York.
Here are Felton's thoughts on Atkinson, who worked closely with Knicks guards: "Kenny was a tough coach. He's one of those people who will get in front of you and he'll try to guard you and he'll run through the plays just as hard as players. ...He would get on the floor and show you how to do it if he didn't like it.
"He was a great guy, a great coach …. That fire he brought to the team, it was fun."
Atkinson and Woodson are expected to interview with the Knicks during their coaching search, which is expected to start in the coming days. New York team president Leon Rose is also expected to interview interim head coach Mike Miller and Tom Thibodeau.
Many with a vested interest in the Knicks' coaching search continue to see Thibodeau as the most likely hire by Rose.
It's unclear if the Knicks will interview other candidates. Mark Jackson and Jason Kidd are among the other coaches who have supporters in the organization.
The New York Post reported on Sunday that Kentucky coach John Calipari would be the favorite for the job if he had interest. But Calipari said publicly in March that he wouldn't coach the Knicks. He's reiterated that message to others more recently, as SNY reported on Monday. With interviews expected to start this week, it seems like you can cross Calipari off of the list.
Felton also touched on his work in the community, his AAU team, and experience with police brutality.
Felton said that he was disappointed to be traded from New York to Denver in 2011 as part of a package that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks.
"Why would you trade me after the numbers I put up and what we've changed around in the Knicks program?" Felton recalled thinking. "…It was just a lot, especially because I knew that Melo was probably still going to come to the Knicks next year (as a free agent)."
Felton added: "I understood him coming (at that time). I wanted him to come I just didn't want myself to get taken out of the equation… Adding him to that (2010-11) team (as a free agent that summer instead of trading for him), I think we could have been something special."
Felton said that the teams he played on with Anthony were special. (The Knicks haven't reached the playoffs since Felton left and have had winning percentages below .400 for six straight seasons).
Felton was asked if he thought about telling Anthony, his good friend, to wait until free agency to join the Knicks in 2011 as opposed to coming in a trade. He said he wasn't thinking about it at the time because he wasn't thinking of the business side of the game.
"If it was now, I would say, 'Hey Melo, let's do something this summer. Just hold out a little bit over there in Denver and let's do something special this summer…. We want you for sure but this opportunity's going to still be here (this summer).'"