The New York Knicks is expected to hire the chief coach of Saint Joseph, Billy Lange, for a paper with the franchise, sources told ESPN.
Lange was ready to start his seventh season by the Hawks. It was 81-104 during his time in St. Joe's, but won more than 20 games in each of the last two seasons.
He took the Hawks to the NIT in 2024 and 2025, while striker Rasheer Fleming became the first Saint Joseph player selected in the NBA draft since 2016. Fleming was the first selection of the second round of Oklahoma City's Thunder in June.
Before replacing Phil Martelli in 2019, Lange was an assistant coach of Philadelphia 76ers for six years. He was also the chief coach in the Navy for seven seasons and spent a time as a low assistant Jay Wright in Villanova for five years in two separate periods.
The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau in June after five seasons, replacing him a month later with the twice coach of the NBA Mike Brown year.
Saint Joseph announced on Wednesday that Steve Donahue, who joined the staff as an associated chief coach in the spring, will become the next program chief coach.
The school said Donahue “will take the Hawks to the 2025-26 season and beyond.”
“Coach Donahue has had an incredible impact on university basketball on the east coast and on the national stage,” said athletic director Jill Bodensteiner. “He is a weird and consummated coach who is as respected for his basketball insight as his character.”
Another remarkable assistant coach hired the Knicks since Brown assumed control including former Charlotte Hornets Chris Jent and TJ Saint assistant, who was the head coach of the Birmingham squadgham of the league G.
