Knicks Name Nelson

Less than five months after his inglorious departure from Golden State, Don Nelson took on one of the NBA’s most pressurepacked coaching jobs.

Nelson, the only man named NBA coach of the year three times, signed for a reported salary of $2 million.

Coaching the Knicks, Nelson said, was an opportunity too good to pass up, even though he had planned to take a year off from coaching following his wrenching half-season with the Warriors.

During the press conference at Madison Square Garden, Nelson also spoke candidly for the first time about the power struggle between himself and Chris Webber, the complex young superstar from Michigan.

Nelson blamed himself for the falling out between the two that eventually led to Webber’s trade to Washington, the loss of the Warriors’ morale and his forced resignation from Golden State during the All-Star Game break in February.