Isiah Thomas named new head coach at…Florida International?

What does running the storied New York Knicks franchise into the ground get you? A head coaching job at an obscure Sun Belt Conference program in South Florida, apparently. Hall of Fame point guard and former Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas has accepted the head coaching position at Florida International, the school announced today.

Said FIU athletic director Pete Garcia of the hire: “We are very excited to have such a legendary athlete and proven winner in Isiah Thomas to lead our men’s basketball program. There is no doubt that Isiah will give FIU a tremendous opportunity to take the basketball program to the highest level.”

Florida International to the highest level? This is a mid-major (at best) Division I program that has lost 20-plus games in three of the last four seasons, including a 13-20 mark this season. The last time the Golden Panthers finished with a winning record? In 1999-2000, when they went a blistering 16-14.

The move is obviously a coup for FIU, which hopes that hiring a big name like Thomas will breathe life into a moribund program that averaged 693 fans per home game this season – one of the lowest totals in all of Division I college basketball. Thomas replaces former coach Sergio Rouco, who was re-assigned on Monday after his teams posted losing records in each of his five seasons.

This will be Thomas’ first college coaching job. His record as an NBA coach with the Knicks and, previously, the Indiana Pacers was 187-223, though he did lead the Pacers to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2001-03.

Get all the iPhone Sports Apps by InGameNow: - InGameNow iPhone App -MLB iPhone App - NFL iPhone App - NBA iPhone App - UFC / MMA iPhone App - NCAA Football App - NCAA Basketball App - Soccer iPhone App