Jackson says he still wants to coach after being left out of Knicks search

Mark Jackson didn't get the New York Knicks coaching job, and wasn't ever really a candidate, but Jackson doesn't want to be in the ESPN broadcast booth forever.

As outlined by Marc Berman on the New York Post, Jackson received lots of love from fans after it was reported the Knicks are set to sign Tom Thibodeau to a five-year contract.

Jackson, 55, coached the Golden State Warriors from 2011-14 before moving to an in-game analyst role at ESPN. New team president Leon Rose and the Knicks interviewed as many as 11 candidates before deciding on Thibodeau. (Some say they knew Thibodeau was their man even before the interview process started.)

Among those showing support for Jackson was ESPN colleague and former Indiana Pacers teammate Jalen Rose.

“I appreciated the love from the Knicks fans and Jalen Rose’s opinion,” Jackson said on an ESPN conference call, via Berman. “I truly look forward to having the opportunity to coach again. I had a blast at Golden State, built incredible relationships that will last a lifetime and I look forward to the challenge of coaching again.”

Jackson is teamed with Jeff Van Gundy on broadcasts, and Van Gundy is among those who think Jackson deserves a coaching shot.

“What I saw in Golden State was truly a remarkable job of reconstructing a fragile confidence,” Van Gundy said. “Because over the years of a lot of losing, the demands defensive previously had not been asked of those past players. If he wants to do it again, in today’s game, I don’t see another guy who is better equipped than him of taking players who may not have achieved yet, but have hopes of becoming a winning player and having a guy help him confidence-wise and challenging him to fulfill his potential than Mark."

The Brooklyn Nets are the only other team with a potential coaching vacancy , and per Berman, they may bring back interim man Jacque Vaughn. There has also been some talk the Chicago Bulls could move on from Jim Boylen, and the Houston Rockets from Mike D'Antoni.

If any of those scenarios occur, perhaps Jackson will get his wish and return to the bench.