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The New York Knicks have filled their crucial video room vacancy by hiring Ed Flynn as an assistant coach specializing in special situations, according to league sources. Flynn spent the past three seasons as a video coordinator with the New Orleans Pelicans.
In his new role with the Knicks, Flynn will serve as head coach Mike Brown’s “challenge guy,” tasked with monitoring real-time replay feeds on an iPad during games to make split-second decisions on whether to recommend challenging referee calls. The position carries immediate, quantifiable stakes, as successful reviews can swing possession, alter foul counts, and directly influence game outcomes.
Stepping Into a High-Pressure Replay Role
The role was held for the previous two seasons by Jordan Brink, who built a strong reputation for high accuracy on challenge recommendations. Brink played a pivotal role during the Knicks’ postseason run, notably recommending a momentum-shifting challenge in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. That review overturned a Knicks turnover into three free throws for OG Anunoby with 2:37 remaining in a narrow 105-104 victory, according to reports by The New York Post.
With Brink’s contract having expired, he accepted a promotion to join the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach under new head coach Tiago Splitter, securing a championship ring from his tenure in New York along the way. Before Brink, Scott King and Darren Erman handled replay review duties for the bench staff. Flynn now inherits the high-stakes tablet and the responsibility of advising Brown in crunch-time scenarios.
Background and Staff Continuity
Standing 6-foot-10, Flynn played college basketball at Williams College in Massachusetts before moving into the coaching and video ranks. He previously worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, followed by a stint as a video intern and coordinator with the Charlotte Hornets. In 2023, he joined the Pelicans, eventually rising to head video coordinator before a wave of staff turnover followed the May hiring of head coach Jamahl Mosley.
Flynn enters an otherwise stable New York coaching environment. Top assistants Chris Jent, Rick Brunson, Brendan O’Connor, and Erman are all returning to the bench. Player development coaches Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Peter Patton are also returning for the upcoming campaign, maintaining continuity as the team prepares to defend its competitive standing in the Eastern Conference.
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