Jackson looks up during a news conference announcing him as the team president of the New York Knicks basketball team at Madison Square Garden in New York
Jackson looks up during a news conference announcing him as the team president of the New York Knicks basketball team at Madison Square Garden in New York Reuters

Since firing Mike Woodson at the end of the regular season, Phil Jackson has identified Steve Kerr as one of the frontrunners for the head coaching gig. After a meeting between the Zen Master and former Chicago Bulls ward, it appears that Kerr has the inside track for the position.

“We talked about the coaching position and we’ll keep talking,” said the 48-year-old to the New York Daily News. “I’ve made it pretty clear the past couple of years that I’d like to get into coaching, and now it’s sort of out there. It’s like anything else, you have to explore it and that’s what we’re doing.”

Kerr admitted that his lack of coaching experience will be his disadvantage when compared to the other coaching candidates.

“I also knew that the mark against me is a lack of experience. I think the general managing experience was huge for me. But I have not had coaching experience. So I’ve done everything possible to try to prepare, short of actually being an assistant (coach). I’ve been working for Turner (Sports), it’s a dream job, I love what I’m doing.”

Kerr, who served as the Phoenix Suns general manager in 2006-2007, also admitted that the Bulls connection is the one of the primary reasons why he’s considered the job and why Jackson is considering him for the gig.

“It’s the only reason I’m talking to them, I wouldn’t have known anybody else in the Knicks’ organization,” said Kerr. “The fact that Phil took this job was the connection. Of course, he was my coach and I have a ton of respect for him. And I’m honored that he’s talking to me about the job.”

“I learned a lot of basketball from him and Tex Winter, so I think it’s safe to say we have a lot of the same ideas. As far as getting into the details of the Triangle and that sort of thing I’m not going to expand on that, but obviously there’s a strong connection between us and our beliefs.”

Kerr played for the Bulls from 1993 to 1998—all under Jackson.