The New York Knicks are set to add Riccardo Fois, former assistant coach of the Sacramento Kings, to Mike Brown’s coaching staff, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. Fois, who was present with the Knicks during the 2025 <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, brings a valuable connection to Mikal Bridges, having previously worked with him in Phoenix.
At 38 years old, Fois spent the first half of last season as an assistant under Brown in Sacramento. Although he stayed on briefly after Brown’s departure, he was not retained following the end of that season. Brown’s influence is one key reason for Fois’s arrival in New York, but importantly, Fois also shares a past with Bridges from their time together with the Phoenix Suns.
Fois began his NBA coaching career as the Suns’ director of player development from 2019 to 2021 after serving as the director of analytics at Gonzaga University. There, he contributed to the development of future NBA players such as Domantas Sabonis, Rui Hachimura, Zach Collins, and Killian Tillie. After his time with the Suns, Fois moved on to become an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, where he worked closely with Ben Mathurin, Christian Koloko, Dalen Terry, and Pelle Larson, all of whom eventually entered the NBA.
Diverse International Experience and Playing Background
In addition to his NBA and college coaching roles, Fois serves as an assistant coach for the Italian men’s basketball team, which reached the quarterfinals of a major tournament for the first time in two decades. He also has experience as a video coordinator for Team USA during the 2015 Pan American Games, contributing to the team’s bronze medal under Gonzaga’s Mark Few.
Fois’s playing career includes collegiate basketball at Pepperdine University, standing 6-foot-2, though he went undrafted in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Shifting Roles: Rick Brunson’s Reduced Position on Staff
Along with Fois’s addition, key members from former head coach Tom Thibodeau’s team—Rick Brunson, Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks, and Darren Erman—are expected to remain on the Knicks’ coaching roster, as Ian Begley of SNY reports. However, Rick Brunson, who served as the lead assistant coach last season, will have a diminished role under the new structure.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post revealed that Mike Brown plans to hire a new associate head coach, which will alter the leadership dynamics on the Knicks’ bench and reduce Brunson’s influence.
“Mike Brown is expected to hire a new associate head coach, The Post has learned, a move that will change the dynamics in the front of the Knicks bench by giving Rick Brunson a lesser role,”
—Stefan Bondy, New York Post
Reports from Hoops Wire, cited by Sam Amico, indicated that some players had expressed dissatisfaction with Brunson’s presence. The exact details remain unclear, though it was suggested that Brunson wielded an outsized influence within the team.
“Per Hoops Wire sources, multiple Knicks players have been unhappy with the presence of assistant coach Rick Brunson, the father of star guard Jalen Brunson. What that issue is, exactly, has not been determined, though sources suggested that Rick has had too big a say in things,”
—Sam Amico, Hoops Wire
One source described Brunson as
“the person with the most power in the entire organization.”
Under Mike Brown’s leadership, however, Brunson’s role will be scaled back to better align with the organization’s goals.
“This is what’s best for the organization and the players,”
—Unnamed league source via Stefan Bondy
Mike Brown Accepts High Expectations in New York
Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year like his predecessor Thibodeau, arrives in New York amid championship ambitions clearly stated by Knicks president Leon Rose when Thibodeau was dismissed. Brown has voiced his determination to meet these pressures head-on.
“Nobody has any bigger expectations, first of all, than I do. My expectations are high,”
Brown told reporters at his introductory press conference.
This is the Knicks. We talked about Madison Square Garden being iconic. We talked about our fans. I love and embrace the expectations that come along with it. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Brown’s coaching history reflects a pattern of leadership with high stakes. He ended the Kings’ 16-year playoff drought in 2023 and previously coached a young LeBron James to the NBA Finals in 2007, though that series ended in a sweep. He succeeded Phil Jackson coaching the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant but was dismissed early into his second season. Brown also found success as an assistant coach on teams that won four NBA championships, including with the Spurs and Warriors.
Impact of Staff Changes on Team Outlook
The addition of Riccardo Fois to the Knicks coaching staff reinforces the link between the team and Mikal Bridges, potentially enriching player development and tactical connections. Brown’s restructuring of the assistant coaching roles, particularly the reduced role for Rick Brunson, aims to improve team dynamics and address internal concerns reported by players.
With Brown at the helm and a retooled coaching staff, the Knicks signal a focused ambition to meet the high expectations from fans and management. The approach suggests that the franchise seeks a balance between experienced leadership and strengthened player connections as it heads into the new season and beyond.