Is there any question? This is the guy whose post-NBA career defines the term "trainwreck." It is possible that he has actually run more of his friend's companies into the ground than George W. and Neil Bush combined.
Zeke takes over the Raptors as Executive VP and in a short 4 year period manages to wear out his welcome. A dispute with then-Raptors management over inappropriate conduct with team staff (sound familiar?) and improper giveaways to NCAA players results in his dismissal. Undaunted, Zeke flashes that cheesy sh*t-eating grin and moves on to the NBA on NBC, where his stilted, self-serving color commentary leads NBA to add Bill Walton to improve things.
Let me say that again - Zeke was SO bad they added Bill Walton to the broadcast to make it better.
After leaving NBA on NBC commentary in the capable hands of stoner Walton and East Coast know-nothing blowhards like Peter "Toys R Us" Vecsey, Zeke moves on yet again, this time to:
The Continental Basketball Association. The CBA used to be the NBA's minor league, the precursor to today's NBDL but a hell of a lot more organized. Even coaches like George Karl and Phil Jackson paid their dues in the CBA and it brought forth more than a few players who played sizeable roles on some very good teams; Vincent Askew, Tim Legler, Mario Elie. It was thought that under Zeke's leadership the CBA might grow into a successful feeder league for the NBA itself. On August 3, 1999 an investment group headed by Zeke purchased the whole shebang including licensing and marketing for about $10 million.
Like any good incompetent executive who wants to look good for his shareholders the first thing Isiah did was cut salaries. And believe me, these guys weren't making much money to begin with ... about $1500 a week, which was then cut down to $1100 a week with players being responsible for many of their own travel expenses.
About eight months later Zeke was offered the head coaching job of the Indiana Pacers, who apparently came to this decision after Larry Bird consulted sheep entrails or huffed some serious glue. Isaiah signs a letter of intent to sell to the NBA Player's Union but then ends up putting himself first, running away to coach the Pacers while putting the CBA in a blind trust ... a mere 18 months after Zeke taking over league operations the CBA folds. That's got to be some kind of record considering the league had been around over 50 years before he became involved with it.
Isiah did OK, not great with the Pacers ... basically didn't do any better than his predecessor despite having some fairly talented rosters including Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Jeff Foster and others.
After getting cut loose from the Pacers the Knicks move in to sweep him up. Why God, why??? What the hell in his miserable resume would ever make anyone think this jerkoff was qualified to run a lemonade stand, let alone one of the premier franchises in the sport??? Did he flash that famous sh*t eating grin again and hypnotize the entire front office? Did he have pictures of David Stern in a compromising position?
I'm not even going to go into the various contracts and trades he's done while running the Knicks because I simply don't have the time at the moment to catalogue the vast Encyclopedia Incompeta that he's managed to put together in less than four years at the helm ... it's mind bogglingly, hilariously stupid. All I can say is that his record of trading away draft picks and overpaying free agents makes even the stupidest moves done by our former ownership pale in comparison.
Remember how much the Vin Baker deal killed the Sonics chance of competing? Now imagine signing seven Vin Bakers. Then imagine giving away most of your draft picks in order to have the privelege to do this. Then what picks you do keep you are forced to give up in trades to try and jettison some of the horrible contracts that are crippling your ability to compete. Then after two years of this you are rewarded with ... an extension! Way to go Zeekie, you're doin' a heckuva job!
The only guy that even roughly compares to his level of incompetence in any sport I can think of is maybe Detroit Lions President and CEO Matt Millen, who is clearly as clueless at his job as Zeke is at his but still retains the confidence of upper management...the Peter Principle in full effect.
Well that's enough ranting from me for the moment, I encourage you to tee off on the team and the man.
Isaiah - you suck. I hated you as a player, I hated your goon squad no-talent compadre Bill Laimbeer...how ironic is it that he turned out to be ten times the coach you'll ever be. If there's any justice in this world the Knicks will actually keep you around so your team can get kicked around the cellar of the East for the next five years and you go down in history as not only the worst pro sports executive but the worst executive of all time. Flash your grin at that, jackass.