NEW YORK (AP) – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been hired by the New York Knicks, who put him to work Wednesday night scouting the Pacers-Clippers game.

“He’s been doing some stuff in an unofficial-official capacity, but tonight it’s official,” Knicks president Isiah Thomas said.

Thomas said all the details of Abdul-Jabbar’s employment status have not yet been worked out. Thomas had the NBA’s career scoring leader visit the Knicks at practice last month to work with the team’s big men.

“I had a conversation with Isiah (during the All-Star weekend) and he knew I was interested,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “For the most part, we’ve always had a good relationship.”

“”Even when we were playing, he was always very appreciative of what I had done in the game.”

Abdul-Jabbar has been trying to find a job with an NBA team since working briefly as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of the 1999-00 season.

“The most important thing is for me to find the right niche with the organization, so we’re going about that process now,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “But I just want to do a good job at this. I’m trying to learn different aspects of management, and that’s what it’s all about. This is a great opportunity for me.”

AP-ES-03-03-04 2153EST