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Carnesecca stays on Mark with choice for Knicks

JIM BAUMBACH | jim.baumbach@newsday.com

May 8, 2008

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The phone rang just past noon Tuesday, and on the other end was the unmistakably soft, scruffy and screechy voice that belongs to legendary St. John's basketball coach Lou Carnesecca.

"How ya doing!" Carnesecca said, rather energetically.

We've met maybe a handful of times over the past decade, but that doesn't matter. Looie treats everyone as if you're a long lost friend.

"Tell me, what have you been up to?" he asked.

I had left a message on his office voicemail earlier in the day to talk to him about Mark Jackson, his former point guard who is seemingly the front-runner to become the next Knicks coach.

Carnesecca, 83, had no problem discussing Jackson's candidacy, but only after issuing this disclaimer: "Well, you know I'm very prejudiced. Me and him, we go way back."

Yes, they've talked recently, the coach said. And, yes, Carnesecca thinks Jackson would make one helluva coach.

"He has the credentials," he said. "I think he does."

"The number one thing, though, he needs to have good players. That's what has to happen first, before anything. If you don't have good players, you're not going to be a good coach. Good players, they make you a smart coach."

That's going to be the biggest challenge for Knicks president Donnie Walsh, obviously a transition that's going to take several years. But for right now he's searching for a coach, and Jackson seems to be at the top of the list despite his lack of experience.

Carnesecca admitted experience is important, but he doesn't think Jackson's lack of a coaching background was that big of a knock against his candidacy.

"I think he would surround himself with very good basketball people," he said.

Carnesecca also thinks Jackson is a unique case because of how strong a leader and communicator he was as a player. That's why he thinks Jackson will make a good coach.

"He knows people," Carnesecca said. "He knows what buttons to push because he's been with all types of players - the good ones and the not-so-good ones. He knows the trials that they're going through. He knows when they're having a bad game, or when they're going through a slump. He's been through that. He's got a lot of the ingredients. All he needs is time."

Carnesecca actually goes way back with Walsh, too - they're both born and bred New York City hoopsters - but Carnesecca said he wouldn't dare place a phone call on Jackson's behalf.

"Look, he knows what I think," Carnesecca said. "When he was trying to get him as a player, when he traded for him, we spoke. It's not a good idea if I call. Believe me, he knows."

Soon, we'll see if Walsh shares the same opinion.

And if Jackson gets the job, Carnesecca is expecting a call. The coach said, "Maybe he'll ask me to make a comeback."