Stan Van: Kentucky no match for NBA team
Can the best team in college basketball beat the worst team in the NBA? It's a debate that seems to crop up every March, and Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy finds the notion "ridiculous."
"It doesn't annoy me, but look, it's absurd," Van Gundy said before the Magic took on the Knicks last night. "People say look, Kentucky has four NBA players. Yeah, well the team they would be playing has 13. You play in the ACC and a good team might have two or three NBA players and you go to the NBA and everybody has an NBA player."
Former Maryland coach Gary Williams said in a radio interview Wednesday that he believes this year's Kentucky team could beat the Washington Wizards if the game was played at Rupp Arena.
"Kentucky couldn't play in the NBA or anything like that, but one game at Rupp Arena, I wouldn't be surprised to see Kentucky win one game," Williams said on Washington D.C.'s ESPN station.
Van Gundy said it's possible anything could happen in one game, but not likely.
"I think that's ridiculous. Gary's a guy who is a great coach and I think that's ridiculous," he said. "Gary's a guy who is a great coach and who I have tremendous respect for and who hasn't coached in this league."
Magic assistant Patrick Ewing wasn't lobbying for Mike Woodson's job, but it's no secret he would be interested in the Knicks head coaching position if it were to become available this offseason.
When Ewing was asked if he would be interested in an assistant's job with his old organization, the former Knicks' great said, "I'm trying to move up."
Ewing also said if he had to do things differently he probably would have finished his playing career with the Knicks instead of requesting a trade. He was sent to Seattle in 2000 and ended his career in 2001 with the Magic.
"I'd probably stay," Ewing said. "I'd probably stay. I don't think it was a good thing for the Knicks or for me. But it is what it is, water under the bridge now."
Buzzer beaters
J.R. Smith missed the morning shootaround will an illness but played last night . . . Mike Woodson has no update on Jared Jeffries, who is out at least another week with right knee inflammation . . . Former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy worked the game for ESPN Radio.
