John Starks won't be making the short trip across the Tappan Zee Bridge to watch the NBA Finals in person this week. He's too busy trying to make the change from shooting guard to coach.

These nights you won't find Starks at Madison Square Garden or Continental Airlines Arena. Instead, he's walking the sideline at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, N.Y., trying to encourage NBA-wannabes in the United States Basketball League.

"It's been great," he said. "The transition has been easy, but the difference is that instead of getting psyched to play a game, you have to have a calm demeanor so that you can make the right decisions. I've found that I have to stay calm so that I can help my team."

Starks knows about life in the minors. He arrived with the Knicks after duty in the CBA. That has made an impression on his leading scorer, former UConn forward Kevin Freeman.