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Larry Johnson: I don't Jason Collins personally but he seems like a great guy. Me personally gay men in the locked room would make me uncomfortable . Twitter

Jason Collins, Larry Johnson 

LJ, in his first basketball job since retirement, will work in player development, community relations and marketing for the Knicks. Stoudemire, who has a bulging disk that could require offseason surgery, is out indefinitely. “What I would like to do is I’d like to talk to Amar’e and hear his symptoms,’’ Johnson said. “No question, everybody knows my back was the main reason I retired. Amar’e is a little different than me. His body is different than mine. “I had to keep the weight off. I was a country boy from Texas and I love eating. I had to keep the weight off and that really gets your back, but Amare is a big, tall guy. I’d love to sit and talk to him, hear his symptoms and see what he’s going through.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Larry Johnson 

Former Knicks forward Larry Johnson has become the latest alum to land a job with the team. The two-time All-Star was named a basketball and business operations representative, a role that will allow him to work in several different capacities ranging from player development, community relations, the Garden of Dreams foundation, fan development, marketing as well as several business initiatives. “I consider coming back to work for a franchise that I had so much success with a great honor,” Johnson said in an official statement. “As I move onto the next phase of my career, I have been given an opportunity to touch so many different areas of the organization – helping develop young players, connecting with the community and actively involving myself in the business of basketball. I couldn’t be more excited to get going and learn as much as I can.” Newark Star-Ledger

New York Knicks, Larry Johnson 

Alan Hahn: Larry Johnson is back with #Knicks. He'll be introduced today as team's Basketball and Business Operations Representative. #fb Twitter

New York Knicks, Larry Johnson 

Former UNLV star Larry Johnson, 42, is a pitchman again. He is hawking Grandmama Sweet Southern Tea for his company, Hall of Fame Beverages. Johnson also said he’d love to return to Vegas to coach his alma mater. It’s like the ’90s all over again. You probably never imagined Larry Johnson enjoying a nice cold glass of iced tea, much less selling the product. But apparently Johnson’s trademark gold tooth is also a sweet tooth. According to Hall of Fame Beverages’ website, the tea is inspired by sweet tea from Johnson’s childhood in Texas. “This line of flavored teas is currently in development and will come in sweetened natural flavors reminiscent of the cool refreshment from hot summer afternoons sitting on the porch at Grandmama’s house,” the description on the site reads. Lost Lettermen

Larry Johnson 

These days, he does some promotional work with the Knicks but has turned down opportunities to be an assistant coach. Tom Thibodeau recruited him for his Chicago Bulls staff. “I had to tell (Thibodeau) that my heart wouldn’t be in it, and he said he wanted me because of my passion and my heart,” Johnson told Larry Brown Sports. Lost Lettermen

Larry Johnson 

But now, Johnson – who lives in Dallas – told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he would be interested in coaching at UNLV, which recently hired Johnson’s former teammate Dave Rice to replace Lon Kruger. “I would love to do it,” Johnson told the newspaper in April, speaking of the head job before Rice’s hire. “This situation is just like ideal. It’s close to my heart. If they hire me, we would get back to being the Runnin’ Rebels.” Lost Lettermen

Larry Johnson 

Augmon, Johnson’s aforementioned running mate, has been hired as an assistant at UNLV, possibly opening the door Johnson’s hire at some point in the future. The Rebels’ staff currently is full. For now, Johnson will have to sit back and sip on some sweet tea until the time is right. Lost Lettermen

Larry Johnson 

Two former UNLV basketball players, Dave Rice and Reggie Theus, are candidates to be the program's next coach. Larry Johnson wants his name added to the short list. Johnson discussed the idea with former Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian on Saturday and decided to promote his interest in the position. "I would love to do it," Johnson said. "This situation is just like ideal. It's close to my heart. If they hire me, we would get back to being the Runnin' Rebels." Las Vegas Review-Journal

Coaching, Larry Johnson, Dave Rice, Reggie Theus 

Johnson, 42, wants to shoot down the notion his lack of coaching experience is a negative. "Of course, I don't think so, but that seems to be the talk. If that's what it is, I understand. But to me, it wouldn't be no problem at all," he said. "You recruit and get some good people around you." Las Vegas Review-Journal

Coaching, Larry Johnson 

Forget all those long-term plans of acquiring a superstar point guard to complement Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, and ignore the simple goal of ending that six-year playoff drought. Larry Johnson, who played five years in New York from 1996-2001, thinks this year's Knick team should shoot higher. Johnson believes Mike D'Antoni's squad could replicate what the Knicks did in the strike-shortened 1999 season, when the team upended three straight higher- seeded opponents and became the first eighth seed in the NBA Finals. "Absolutely," Johnson, 41, told the Daily News. "I think they can do it." New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Larry Johnson 

Do more people remember you for that four-point play or being Grandmama? Larry Johnson: There are women 40, 50 and 60 years old who don’t know anything about basketball, and I tell them I played Grandmama, and they go, “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.” So I would say Grandmama. SLAM

Larry Johnson 

What do you remember from doing that commercial? Larry Johnson: When I signed with Converse out of college, they told me we were going to do a commercial with me, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. They said they would have me on a gurney sleeping and covered up so you don’t see me. Larry Bird was on one side and Magic Johnson was on the other. They were doctors. They were creating the best basketball player. So then they say we have to name it. Larry Bird was going to say, “His name should be Larry,” and Magic was going to say, “His name should be Johnson.” Then they would go back and forth saying “Larry” and “Johnson.” Then I would raise up. So then I signed with them. Then they come back two months later after I spent the money and bought my mom a house, and they say, “We’ve got another idea. We want to put you in a dress.” That was Grandmama. [Laughs] SLAM

Larry Johnson 

Former Knick Larry Johnson feels that Charles Barkley was out of line for saying that LeBron James' decision to televise his free agency announcement was a "punk move." "Why would he say that about that youngster?" Johnson told The News. "If you want to say that LeBron should have told Cleveland before the show that he wasn't coming back, that's fine. I agree with that. "But to call him a punk, I don't understand that. I agree with the move he made. He's trying to win a championship by joining two other All-Stars. If I could have done that when I played I would have." New York Daily News

LeBron James, Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson 

At the time, in early 1987, Johnson was angry, and his mother was heartbroken. A few years later, he realized he caught the lucky break of a lifetime. He realized it while leading the Rebels to the 1990 NCAA championship and emerging as the top player in college basketball. And even after 10 years in the NBA, his heart was still with UNLV. "It was the highlight of my career," he said. "I didn't think that at the time, because you've got all these great things ahead of you. I was drafted No. 1, and I thought I was going to the NBA to kill Michael Jordan and everybody. It didn't happen." Las Vegas Review-Journal

Larry Johnson, UNLV 

In December 2007, Johnson earned his Bachelor of Arts in social science studies from UNLV. He said his late mother, Dortha, always wanted him to return for his degree. "With no pro team here in Las Vegas, it was overwhelming actually. Everybody couldn't take that," he said. "You had to have a special mind to be in Vegas and be on top like that and get through. "I think I was more successful and I was more in tune with what was going on in college. In the NBA, it was more of a glamorous life. Everything was catered to you, and it's like you really made it. "It's the journey to get there, and UNLV was my journey." Las Vegas Review-Journal

Larry Johnson, UNLV 

New Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has ruled out the possibility of Larry Johnson joining his staff as an assistant coach. The Daily Herald's Mike McGraw reported that the former No. 1 overall pick was interested in the job, but Thibodeau, appearing on WMVP-AM 1000's "Waddle & Silvy Show" Friday morning, said the search is still on for Pete Myers replacement. "(Johnson) was interested but, at this point, I don't think it's a possibility any longer," Thibodeau said. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Coaching, Larry Johnson 

A familiar name has surfaced in the Bulls’ search for a new assistant coach. Larry Johnson, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, is interested in the job and visited the team recently. Johnson has a history with new Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. Johnson played for the New York Knicks from 1996-2001, while Thibodeau was on the coaching staff working under Jeff Van Gundy. Since retiring in 2001, Johnson has not held any formal coaching jobs. Another top candidate for the Bulls' spot is long-time NBA point guard Terry Porter. He’s been sitting at home since being fired as head coach of the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 16, 2009, less than a year into his tenure. Porter, a Milwaukee native, also served as head coach of the Bucks from 2003-05. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Chicago Bulls, Coaching, Larry Johnson