Isiah: From MSG to … Florida International U

by Marcel Mutoni

Somehow, you had to have known that he’d find a way to get back into coaching. Where exactly that would take place was the question, and for the time being, it appears to have been answered.

Word has it that Isiah Thomas is on the verge of accepting a job with Florida International University. ESPN reports:

Florida International is trying to hire former New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas as its next basketball coach, sources have told ESPN.com’s Andy Katz.

A source with direct knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com on Monday night that the two parties are working on a deal and it could get done as early as Tuesday. Thomas just has to sign off on the final details.

The source said Thomas was intrigued by FIU’s location in South Florida, its growing football program and its over 30,000 students. The source said Thomas was looking for a fresh place to start and that, despite other previous NBA and college opportunities, this is the one that finally piqued Thomas’ interest. The source said negotiations are moving very quickly.

Isiah has an eye for college-level talent, as his NBA Draft record clearly indicates … but, damn. From Broadway to FIU. That’s quite a steep drop.

Should he accept the gig, Thomas will have his work cut out for him. The FIU Golden Panthers haven’t had a winning record in close to a decade. Best of luck, Zeke.

UPDATE: The Sun-Sentinel reports that FIU has indeed hired Thomas as its next head coach.—Ed.