Nate Oats may be just what the New York Knicks need, which is unfortunate for Alabama.

Following their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. In his five seasons as head coach, “Thibs” guided the Knicks to four postseason appearances after taking over in 2020. But after Saturday’s 125-108 Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers, franchise president Leon Rose has made the decision to take a different approach. Nate Oats, regrettably, could be the ideal candidate for Alabama basketball fans.

Following Tom Thibodeau’s dismissal, Nate Oats might be a contender in New York.

Just before leading the Crimson Tide to the program’s first-ever Final Four in March 2024, Oats agreed to a contract extension that would keep him with the program until 2030, with a sizeable buyout of $18 million spread over the first two years. Alabama fans shouldn’t worry because it would be difficult to get him to leave Tuscaloosa. However, Oats is a great possibility to advance to the NBA, so when major positions become available, his name will start to get out there. Furthermore, it doesn’t get much larger than New York.

Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks played a methodical style offensively and could never provide the tough defensive identity that Thibodeau has built his entire career on. Brunson and KAT are both offensive dynamos, but got exposed defensively, particularly in pick-and-roll coverage. Stout wing defenders like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart buoyed them against the Boston Celtics in the second round, but Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle devised a plan to torch New York’s superstars, and it earned his team a spot in the NBA Finals and Thibs his walking papers

The Knicks will never be an elite defensive team as currently constructed, and Thibs will never be an elite offensive coach. So, they need an innovative offensive mind to unlock the roster on that end of the floor. Crucially, Oats has as blue-collar a mentality as any coach, so New York wouldn’t be sacrificing toughness by bringing him in to maximize its offensive firepower. Oats’s teams thrive in transition, play a deep bench, and move the ball quickly. After getting run off the court by the fast-paced Pacers, it could be a perfect marriage in “The Mecca.”

Throughout the playoffs, New York averaged 1.00 points per possession in transition, the second worst of any playoff team, only ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks. Their 19.8 assists per game were the third lowest. While Brunson is one of the league’s best late-game closers, too often, New York fell into the trap of playing isolation basketball with their star point guard throughout the entire game. That wouldn’t happen with Oats and his free-flowing offensive philosophy.

Oats’s 2024-25 team, for example, was 95th percentile in transition field goal attempts while shooting 57 percent, and that transition frequency ramped up to 99th percentile in the postseason (according to CBBanalytics.com). Alabama also posted a 55.4 percent assist percentage while leaning heavily on a ball-dominant guard in Mark Sears, who has drawn numerous comparisons to Brunson across his illustrious career in Tuscaloosa.

Oats’s 2024-25 team, for example, was 95th percentile in transition field goal attempts while shooting 57 percent, and that transition frequency ramped up to 99th percentile in the postseason (according to CBBanalytics.com). Alabama also posted a 55.4 percent assist percentage while leaning heavily on a ball-dominant guard in Mark Sears, who has drawn numerous comparisons to Brunson across his illustrious career in Tuscaloosa.

College head coaches rarely make the jump to the professional level, especially after big-name coaching icons like Rick Pitino and John Calipari did it and failed. There are success stories like Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan, but even if the Knicks do look to the collegiate ranks, UConn’s Dan Hurley should be the first to hear his phone ring.

Oats is staying put. His considerable buyout and lack of NBA experience almost guarantee that, but if Rose is doing his due diligence in this coaching search, Oats deserves a phone call, and if he continues to dominate in the SEC, the Knicks won’t be the last NBA team asking around his number.

The day may come when Alabama loses its star head coach to the professional level, but while the Knicks might be the perfect situation, it’s far from the perfect time.