New York Knicks: George Karl endorses coaching candidate Jamahl Mosley

Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley is one of 11 reported candidates for the New York Knicks‘ head-coaching position.

In an interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post, George Karl, who Mosley coached and indulged in player development under with the Denver Nuggets from 2006-10, said that the Mavericks assistant can connect with modern-day players.

“I thought he had a great connection with today’s player,’’ Karl said. “He was hungry. He was big in player development, then toward the end of his time, we gave him scouting reports, game-plan responsibilities. He was really good with basketball intellect and really good with players. That’s the combo you need in today’s world and changing attitudes of the young players.”

Berman mentions how Rick Carlisle, the Mavericks head coach, told a Dallas radio station that Mosley is a “great” communicator who is going to get an opportunity to run his own program.

“He’s a young man that’s worked extremely hard to build up his reputation as a great young coach, great communicator,” Carlisle said last week on a Dallas radio station. “I don’t think he’s going to be with us much longer, honestly. Whether it’s the Knicks or somebody else, this guy is going to be a head coach sooner than later. The opportunity to talk to the Knicks is one that he’s earned.”

Karl touts Mosley’s “enthusiasm” and compares him to highly regarded NBA head coaches.

“It was his daily enthusiasm and desire to put in the time to be a really good coach,’’ said Karl, who hosts a podcast “Truth and Basketball.’’ “He reminds me a lot of coach [Dwane] Casey when I had him in Seattle and Terry Stotts [Karl’s assistant in Seattle and Milwaukee]. They both went on to be very good head coaches, and like them, Jamahl is defensive-minded.’’

“Both Denver and Dallas won a lot of basketball games when [Jamahl] was there,’’ Karl said. “Rick is different than I am but that makes you a better coach when you learn you can do things differently and still be successful.’’

Mosley has been an assistant coach in the NBA for 14 seasons: four with the Nuggets, four with the Cleveland Cavaliers and six with the Mavericks.