How Knicks fit Jackson, Calipari

What hiring either of these big-name coaches would mean for New York

Originally Published: March 15, 2012

By David Thorpe | ESPN Insider

In college basketball, the best athletic directors keep with them a list of the top coaching candidates for their teams so that they are immediately prepared to move if one of their coaches leaves suddenly.

NBA general managers and team owners, however, rarely prepare that way. So we begin the speculation on who will succeed Mike D'Antoni, who resigned from the New York Knicks on Wednesday, with two men who have established iconic brands in their professions.

Is the timing right for Phil Jackson or John Calipari to take the reins of a talented, yet underachieving team like the Knicks? Here's a look at how each coach would fit in.