The Knicks have a brand new face of participant growth.
Lange was making ready to enter his seventh season as head coach of the Hawks, compiling an total report of 81–104 throughout his tenure at St. Joe’s — however growing his win complete in every of the previous 4 years, together with back-to-back 20-win seasons and consecutive NIT appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Amongst Lange’s growth success tales is Rasheer Fleming, the 6-foot-9 ahead who improved his sport every season at St. Joe’s and in the end grew to become the No. 31 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft, touchdown with the Phoenix Suns. Fleming grew from a 6-point, 5-rebound freshman right into a First Workforce All-Atlantic 10 junior averaging 14.7 factors, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks, whereas enhancing his three-point capturing from 29.7% to 39% over three seasons.
Fleming’s leap is related — as a result of the Knicks are up in opposition to the second apron with no cap flexibility past their last minimum-salary roster slot. In need of a significant commerce, the one significant approach to enhance this roster is by creating their younger prospects.
That’s the place Lange is available in.
The Knicks used the twenty fifth, thirty fourth, and 58th picks of the 2024 NBA Draft to pick Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, and Ariel Hukporti, respectively. None performed common minutes below Thibodeau regardless of a rotation that clearly wanted extra depth. Hukporti ultimately cracked the lineup — outperforming Jericho Sims — however suffered a season-ending meniscus tear that derailed his progress.
That method is anticipated to shift below Brown, who has a observe report of taking part in quick and deploying deeper rotations that embrace youthful gamers.
New York enters the 2025–26 season with a powerful nine-man group constructed round All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Cities, plus free agent additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, who starred for France within the 2024 Olympics. However to match the depth and flexibility that powered the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder to the NBA Finals, the Knicks will want extra than simply their high 9.
That’s the place Lange’s background turns into particularly invaluable.
Earlier than taking the St. Joe’s job, Lange spent 5 seasons (2014–2019) as a participant growth coach and assistant below Brett Brown in Philadelphia, working with Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Furkan Korkmaz, Markelle Fultz, Zhaire Smith, Landry Shamet, and Shake Milton via varied Sixers draft courses. He additionally served below Jay Wright at Villanova throughout two separate stints (2001–04, 2011–13), although he left this system previous to Josh Hart’s arrival in 2013.
Lange’s rent continues Brown’s reshaping of the Knicks’ teaching workers, which incorporates Chris Jent, Brendan O’Connor, Ricardo Fois, and now Lange.
The Knicks fired Thibodeau shortly after reaching the Jap Convention Finals for the primary time in 25 years, then in the end employed Brown — a two-time Coach of the Yr most not too long ago with the Sacramento Kings.
Now, the entrance workplace and new workers are aligned behind a transparent precedence: creating from inside to shut the hole on the NBA’s elite.
