Mayor of New York? That might be a stretch, but the mayor of Sacramento thinks Jeff Hornacek will be a popular Broadway fixture.
Former NBA star Kevin Johnson, now Sacramento’s mayor, wasn’t surprised when his former Suns teammate surfaced out of the blue 10 days ago as a Knicks head-coaching candidate. Johnson said he thought it made “perfect sense.”
The Knicks finally may make Hornacek’s hiring official Friday — with a press conference slated next week.
Johnson, the former explosive point guard who is on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot, shared the backcourt in Phoenix with Hornacek from 1987 to 1992 and the men have remained close. Johnson cites Hornacek’s two appearances in the NBA Finals with Utah against Phil Jackson’s Bulls as experiences that will help him tackle the Big Apple.
Hornacek doesn’t have any coaching experience in a big market — three years in Utah as assistant and 2½ seasons as Suns head coach, failing to make the playoffs even after winning 48 games his rookie year. It was good enough for Jackson, after his five-week coaching search ended last week by offering Hornacek the job.
“Jeff is someone who understands what it means to play on the biggest stage in New York but won’t be fazed by the bright lights and the pressure of the biggest media market,” Johnson told The Post. “There is nothing bigger than the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan, and Jeff played a key role in those series twice. That experience is invaluable for this job.”
Still, the Hornacek hire shocked most in the NBA universe. But not Johnson.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all,’’ he said. “Phil got to see Jeff firsthand in those tough-fought finals in 1997 and ’98. They are two guys who appreciate and understand basketball is like a chess match. When I heard that Phil hired Jeff, it made perfect sense to me.”
Last month, Sacramento interviewed Hornacek for its head job. Johnson may or may not have played a role in Hornacek being brought in, but he said he always has known his ex-teammate would make a great coach.
“I don’t know about him being destined, but we all felt he was best suited for it, out of all the players on the team,” Johnson said. “He was a great teammate. Smart player, very competitive, worked hard, and was focused. He could play on and off the ball. Made sure we were welcomed as newcomers to the team.
“The minute I arrived, he exhibited professionalism on and off the court. I observed and learned from the way he practiced, prepared for games and took care of himself. Oh yeah, he could shoot lights out. For a jump shooter, the difference between getting your shot off and having it defended is a split second. Jeff’s improvement coming off the screen, catching and shooting improved year after year.”
With the Knicks’ weakness being the backcourt, Jackson hopes Hornacek can influence his young point guards Jerian Grant and Tony Wroten. Johnson said he thinks the Zen Master has the right guy.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Jeff will be an excellent coach for point guards,” Johnson said. “Although he played shooting guard, Jeff always understood the game like a point guard. I saw that firsthand. When I went to Phoenix, the two of us were almost immediately in sync. It doesn’t hurt that Jeff was in the same backcourt with [point guard] John Stockton for years.”
Johnson has been Sacramento’s mayor since 2008, but won’t seek a third team after allegations surfaced regarding sexual misconduct — which he has denied. His mayoral highlight is keeping the Kings in Sacramento after the franchise was on the verge of heading to Seattle.
Coincidentally, if it weren’t for Johnson, Jackson never would have become Knicks president. Jackson was ready to become president of the Seattle Kings.
“I can’t take all the credit,” Johnson said. “Our entire region came together with our backs against the wall to pull off the longest of long shots. Seattle is a great basketball city. They deserve a team. I hope they get one soon.”