Jim Boeheim is confident Carmelo Anthony — his former Syracuse pupil who will re-sign with the Knicks — will be able to help Phil Jackson recruit a star player to the Garden for the 2015 season.
“People like him. He gets along well with everybody,” Boeheim told The Post. “In the NBA, it’s one or two key guys. And if New York can attract that one or two additional guys next year, then they could be right in there. Pros are like colleges now in: ‘Who can you recruit?’
“Pro coaches said they always liked coaching in the pros, they didn’t have to recruit,” he adds with a chuckle. “Now they have to recruit.
“Phil and Carmelo Anthony, that’s two positive influences in terms of trying to attract other players. I think it’s two really positive pieces, and if you can play well in New York, there’s probably not many better places to play well.
And so Boeheim can see light at the end of the dark Knicks tunnel.
“I think it’s very hopeful,” he said. “They’re gonna have a great new guy in charge, I think a guy (Derek Fisher) who to me looks like he could be a good coach. I think it’s not that unrealistic to think a guy like (Steve) Kerr, or Fisher, or (Jason) Kidd or David Blatt, those guys are good coach prospects. They understood the game. The professional game is so much about the people, and handling of players. And, to a large extent, Derek Fisher’s been working with players the last 10 years, as a player-kinda-coach type on the court. So I think that’s very positive. Having Phil Jackson in charge is a pretty positive thing, and he seems to be involved and really wanting to do this. And the influence of New York, and having one guy that’s a tremendous player and everybody knows that, in his prime for the next three and four years.
“So I think they have reason to be optimistic that this year is gonna be a lot better than last year, and I think they have a reasonable expectation that they’re gonna attract somebody to come and play in New York that’ll help them in the future.”
The Hall of Fame Syracuse coach was asked if he could envision his former one-and-done star recruiting LeBron James to New York after the 2015 season.
“They’ve always wanted to play together,” Boeheim said, “but I think it’s gonna be hard to get him out of Cleveland unless things don’t go well there. But there are other great players coming in the market the next two years.”
Asked if Jackson’s triangle offense is a good fit for Anthony, Boeheim said: “It’s a good offense. It’s an isolation offense — you get your isolation opportunities out of it and you keep the defense spread. He’s a good player in isolation. He’s been criticized for that, but basically that’s what the triangle offense is. It gives you isolation situations for great players. I mean, that’s why Jordan and Kobe were pretty good playing offense. It clears space and gives you opportunities to make your play. So, yeah, I think it’ll be a good system for him.
“I think he always wanted to stay with the Knicks. I think he always wanted to play there. I really do. I mean, everybody’s saying, ‘Well, it’s more money.’ You can never discount money, but I think he likes New York, I think he’s comfortable there, his son’s comfortable there. … I have not talked to him, so I don’t really have any inside information, but I just think he wanted to be in New York, and I think he’s gonna believe that Phil Jackson was great at what he did as a coach, and he hopes he’s gonna be great at this.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of work to be done with LeBron going to Cleveland and Chicago getting Gasol, Indiana is still really good, Washington’s gotten better. It’s not gonna be easy by any stretch of the imagination.
“It’s obvious this year’s not gonna be a championship team. But can you get somebody to come there next year?”