The New York Knicks are coming off their best postseason run since 2000, yet the front office made the surprising decision to part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Despite having a strong core and Thibodeau being well-liked in the locker room, the organization’s reasoning appears simple: they no longer believed he could deliver a championship.

“In this case, Thibodeau's time in New York ended because of the first line of the statement the Knicks released in response to his firing: 'Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,’” ESPN wrote.

One name that has surfaced as a potential replacement is former Knicks head coach Rick Pitino, who currently leads St. John’s. Pitino continues to make waves in college basketball, setting new records last season.

“Rick Pitino is now the first head coach in Division I history to win a regular-season conference title with five different programs, per ESPN Stats Info: Boston University, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona, and St. John’s,” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote.

Pitino was named Big East Coach of the Year, and his star player, RJ Luis Jr., earned Big East Player of the Year honors. With a decorated resume, Pitino certainly has the credentials to attract interest from any franchise seeking a proven leader. His legendary college coaching career will be remembered for generations.

However, there appears to be no interest—at least from Pitino himself—in returning to the Knicks. When asked about the rumors during a Yankees game on Wednesday night, Pitino dismissed them outright.

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“Absolutely not,” he said Wednesday night during the New York Yankees’ game against the Cleveland Guardians, after he threw out the first pitch,” Yahoo Sports’ Ryan Young wrote.

Pitino seems fully committed to building something special at St. John’s and has no intention of leaving. With Pitino off the table, the Knicks will likely turn to the professional ranks to find their next head coach.