The New York Knicks have parted ways with coach Tom Thibodeau, just days after the team’s elimination from the Eastern Conference finals, marking their first appearance in 25 years. Star guard Josh Hart expressed his thoughts on social media regarding his former head coach. This split occurred shortly after Knicks star Jalen Brunson defended Thibodeau following their loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6, which concluded their postseason run.
“Is that a real question right now?” Brunson responded when asked if Thibodeau was the right person to take the Knicks to the next level. “You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy? Yes.”
Hart and Brunson were not alone in their praise for Thibodeau. Actor and noted Knicks superfan Ben Stiller, often seen courtside during the team’s recent playoff run, thanked Thibodeau on social media for making the Knicks “relevant again.” Noted Knicks fan John McEnroe, who was calling the Carlos Alcaraz-Tommy Paul match at the French Open when the news broke, reacted live, saying, “that’s pretty harsh. That is a bummer.”
Coincidentally, former NBA MVP Derrick Rose, who played for Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks, was at Roland Garros watching the match. He had joined the TNT broadcast earlier.
Many in the Knicks world and New York media universe were not in favor of firing Thibodeau. At least one person didn’t waste any time vying for the now open job in Manhattan.
The Knicks won 51 games this season and reached the conference finals for the first time since 2000. Thibodeau led the Knicks to the playoffs in four of his five seasons and achieved back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since the early 1990s. Before Thibodeau was hired, the Knicks hadn’t made the playoffs in seven seasons.
By all accounts, Thibodeau’s tenure with the Knicks was successful. As has been the case at his previous stops in Chicago and Minnesota, it just wasn’t successful enough.