Former Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright Not Interested in an NBA Job

Legendary Villanova head coach Jay Wright plans to stay happily retired rather than coming back to coaching in order to lead the New York Knicks, per a report from Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

That news should come as little surprise, but with Wright retiring in the prime of his coaching career and a trio of former Villanova stars in Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart forming a key part of the Knicks lineup, the connection immediately drew plenty of buzz.

Brunson and Bridges won a pair of national championships under Wright in 2016 and 2018; Hart won the former before graduating in 2017. While an NBA championship has eluded them thus far, the trio has continued that legacy of success in the Big Apple, helping New York to their best finish in a quarter century during the 2025 playoffs after an Eastern Conference Finals berth.

Nevertheless, the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after their exciting run petered out against the Indiana Pacers, and they could see part of the Villanova Knicks trio break up as the team reportedly searches for a trade package for Milwaukee Bucks superstar and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.