Riley Talks to Knicks About Job

The possibility of Pat Riley returning to the coaching ranks grew Sunday, as he talked about his interest in the New York Knicks’ vacancy.

“There’s interest on my part, but it’s going to take some time and thought,” Riley said on NBC’s “NBA Showtime,” the pregame show on which he is the co-host. “I’ve always thought of New York as the mecca of basketball. I can remember back in the early ‘70s when there was an aura of excitement just coming here as a player and coach.”

The former Laker coach said he has talked to Knick President Dave Checketts about the job, which opened up last week when John MacLeod left to coach Notre Dame.

The Knicks, who have had six coaches in the past seven years, finished 39-43 this season and were eliminated in three games by Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. MacLeod took over for the fired Stu Jackson 15 games into the season.

Riley, who grew up in Schenectady, N.Y., said he missed coaching. “I miss it most of all from the competitive standpoint,” he said. “The withdrawal symptoms are still there.”