The Knicks were built different

William Wesley’s vision

Thanks to a unique, long-term approach to relationship building, the Knicks are up 3-1 over the Spurs in the NBA Finals. Game 5 is Saturday. ERICK W. RASCO/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES

Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie has an assistant coach named Mike Miller. Not so long ago, Miller was the head coach of the New York Knicks. (Miller—who shares a name with a former player who’s now an agent—was elevated from the Westchester G-League team to be the interim head coach after Dave Fizdale was fired.)

At the time, the Knicks were terrible. They finished that COVID-shortened season with 20 wins and 46 losses.

But there was a little hope. The Knicks had Julius Randle. They had young players like R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank Ntilikina.

NEW YORK KNICKS@nyknicks

The New York Knicks announced today that William Wesley has been named Executive Vice President – Senior Basketball Advisor. Full statement here: on.knicks.com/2Nt3tq5

2:01 PM · Jun 24, 2020

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But most importantly, they had a new front office featuring team president Leon Rose, and the most mysterious man in sports, William Wesley. Leon Rose explained Wes’s hiring by saying “this business is built on relationships.”