NBA

New Paltz eyes former Knicks player McCarty to coach

Walter McCarty, the former Knicks first-round pick who was recently let go by the Pacers as an assistant coach, is the leading candidate to become men’s head basketball coach of Division III SUNY New Paltz, The Post has learned.

According to a person familiar with the situation, McCarty, a 6-foot-10 forward who played 10 years in the NBA, was on the Ulster County campus this week doing final interviews for the position.

“It seems to be his if he wants it,” the person said.

McCarty was hired by Indiana coach Jim O’Brien before last season. But O’Brien was fired in midseason and interim coach Frank Vogel did not retain McCarty.

McCarty, 37, was one of Rick Pitino’s assistants at Louisville the prior three seasons.

McCarty played for Pitino in Boston and at the University of Kentucky. He was selected by the Knicks in 1996 but was traded in his second season to Boston. McCarty retired in 2006 and would be a high-profile hire for New Paltz.

“He wants to go back to college, he feels he wants to teach and you can’t teach in the pros,” the source said.

New Paltz plays in the SUNYAC and recently rose to become one of the top five SUNY schools academically, even as former conference stalwarts Binghamton, Albany and Buffalo made the Division I leap. Following an 11-14 last season Hawks coach Dagan Nelson resigned.

A New Paltz spokesman did not return a call for comment.

marc.berman@nypost.com