Reports: Former Utah star Johnnie Bryant joining New York Knicks staff

Johnnie Bryant's ascension up the coaching ranks in the NBA continues to rise.

According to reports, Bryant is set to become the New York Knicks associate head coach under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The New York Knicks are hiring Utah Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant as associate head coach under Tom Thibodeau, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 18, 2020

It's a huge loss for the Utah Jazz, where Bryant currently serves as assistant coach under head coach Quin Snyder. But more than those duties, Bryant is revered in NBA circles for his player development capabilities, most notably with all-stars Gordon Hayward and Donovan Mitchell, the latter of which just dropped 57 points in the NBA playoffs Monday night.

This is not the first person Utah has lost to the Knicks this year, as Bryant will follow longtime Jazz VP of Player Personnel Walt Perrin to the Big Apple. While the Jazz have yet to comment on the situation until New York releases a statement first, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, Bryant will remain in the NBA bubble with Utah until its 2020 playoff run comes to a conclusion.

Bryant first joined the Jazz in 2012 as a player development assistant before he was promoted to assistant coach in 2014 following Snyder's hiring.

Bryant has longtime connections to Utah, starring for the Utes for three seasons from 2005-2008 while in college. He posted career averages of 14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a combo guard for the Utes.

His best season came as a junior for the 2006-07 season, when he averaged 34.5 minutes and 15.1 points while starting in all 30 games and earned honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference honors.

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