One of the last pillars of the Larry Brown era in New York has moved on.

Phil Ford, a Knicks assistant coach hired two season ago when Brown joined New York was hired today by the Charlotte Bobcats as an assistant coach.

"We are very fortunate to add three assistant coaches with a proven
track record of positive player-coach relationships, work ethic and NBA knowledge," Michael Jordan said in a press release. "We want to provide Sam (Vincent) with a strong supporting staff, and we feel we have taken the initial steps in that direction with these three coaches."

Ford has a several years of experience as a player and coach on both the collegiate and pro ranks. He made his NBA coaching debut with the Detroit Pistons during the 2004-05 season and spent the last two in New York. His coaching experience spans over 15 years, including a12-year period as an assistant coach under Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina.

The 1979 NBA Rookie of the Year, Ford averaged 11.6 points in his seven-year career with the Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets. The second overall pick in the 1978 draft, he also earned All-Rookie and All-NBA Second Team honors that season. His storied NBA career was proceeded by an impressive stay at Carolina where he won the John Wooden Award his senior year as well as ACC Player of the Year in 1977 and 1978.

Lee Rose and Jeff Capel were also named assistants for the Bobcats and with Ford round out Vincent's staff.

It had been rumored Ford was in line to run the Knicks summer league this team, indicating how much respect Isiah Thomas had for this former Larry Brown pupil. And various times last season, there was speculation by those close to the Knicks situation that Thomas did not want to release Ford or Dave Hanners out of their current contracts out of spite for Brown, who was let go by James Dolan last summer. But now it appears those rumors have been put to rest, at least in Ford's case.

This leaves Hanners as the lone Brown holdover on Thomas' coaching staff.