New Knicks Coach's Role Revealed After Leaving LA Clippers

Before the 2024-25 season, the LA Clippers made an effort to have the best defensive roster of the Kawhi Leonard era and rank among the league's best in a season where they lost both Paul George and Russell Westbrook.

Not only did they have one of the best defenses in the NBA, ranking third overall, but they had the best defense in franchise history.

Clippers were #1 Net overall.

#1 OFFENSE. Yeah offense, not defense.

#3 Defense.

Elite basketball team heading into the playoffs. https://t.co/kPQkhf9Mkt
— Grant "Money" Mona (@Gmona48) April 14, 2025

While additions like Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum helped, the coaching staff the Clippers built was the driving force.

How Did Clippers Do Defensively?

Jeff Van Gundy returned to the bench after years of being an analyst and broadcast commentator with ESPN, and was one of the most significant acquisitions of the Clippers offseason.

The Clippers were a top-five defense all season. Still, they rose to second behind the now-defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder for a period of time, proving that they could be a contending team even if thier offense was stagnant for a majority of the season without Leonard.

Brendan O'Connor was a large part of the Clippers' defensive renaissance and is widely praised for his defensive acumen. He served as an assistant coach for the Clippers since 2013, working under Doc Rivers and Tyronn Lue.

BREAKING: Brendan O’Connor is close to joining the Knicks coaching staff. His title will be assistant — not associate head coach — and O’Connor will serve as the defensive coordinator, per @IanBegley (@TheFrankIsola first). pic.twitter.com/aII9m4V9P6
— SleeperKnicks (@SleeperKnicks) July 31, 2025

Before the stint with Los Angeles, he was with the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons, where he won a championship with Larry Brown in 2004.

What Does O'Connor Bring to Knicks?

O'Connor is not a household name, but he is considered one of the best defensive minds in the NBA. He worked closely with Clippers defensive coordinator Jeff Van Gundy and stepped in for Van Gundy while he was on leave after the All-Star break.

Along with the JVG connection (& being a former Knicks coach himself) Brendan O’Connor has worked with Mike Woodson

He also counts as a mentor Eric Musselman, who’s close with Tom Thibodeau

Fellow New Englanders Thibs & O’Connor both cite Bill Belichick as coaching inspiration pic.twitter.com/ohOPBhJpE7
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) August 1, 2025

A new report from Marc Stein of The People's Insider revealed that, "The expectation in New York is that Rick Brunson and newly hired Brendan O'Connor will fill two of the three front-of-bench seats on new coach Mike Brown's staff."

He continued to write, "O'Connor was lured away from the LA Clippers to serve as Brown's defensive coordinator. The coach hired to fill the last open front-of-bench spot on Brown's staff is expected to have an offensive focus."

Western Conference exec said Brendan O’Connor is a ‘great get for the Knicks.’ O’Connor will be top defensive assistant on Mike Brown’s staff. “A hell of a basketball coach and a great guy. Knicks just made their best offseason acquisition,” the Western Conference exec said
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 31, 2025

With O'Connor now on the Knicks bench, New York will have a completely different play style and system in place for a team that just reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2025 playoffs.

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How Did Clippers Do Defensively?

What Does O'Connor Bring to Knicks?

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