Isiah Says He Has Not Been Talking to Hoosiers

ATLANTA — Embattled Knicks coach Isiah Thomas sidestepped whether he's interested in talking with Indiana University about its head coaching position.

Thomas, whose Knicks have lost five of six and 13 of 15, has a 53–101 record in two seasons with the Knicks. Though he helped Indiana win the 1981 NCAA championship, Thomas has never coached in college.

He indicated the Hoosiers haven't consulted him.

"No, I have a job," Thomas said before the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks yesterday.

Thomas, also the Knicks' team president, said he hopes interim coach Dan Dakich is named full-time at Indiana.

In February, Dakich replaced Kelvin Sampson, who resigned following the release of an NCAA report that said he committed five "major" violations involving recruiting. Prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, the school appointed a 10-member committee to search for a replacement for Sampson.

After Dakich — an assistant under Sampson and a former Indiana player and assistant under Bob Knight — took over, the Hoosiers (25–8) lost four of their final seven games, including a shocking last-second defeat against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals and an 86–72 loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

"He's done an excellent job," Thomas said. "He understands the program. He's been intimately involved on the coaching side and also on the playing side."

"Of all the former players, he'd definitely have the support of mine and others. I hope he's someone they do name as the coach of Indiana."

Thomas acknowledged that he might have interest in coaching one day in college.

"You never say never in terms of where you'll end up and who you'll be with," he said. "So you just try to take the day as it comes."

Right now, Thomas is trying to save his position with New York, which has reportedly talked with former Indiana Pacers president Donnie Walsh about taking charge of the organization.