Rick Pitino has ruled out replacing Tom Thibodeau as the next New York Knicks head coach, stating “Absolutely not” during the New York Yankees’ matchup with the Cleveland Guardians, where he threw out the first pitch.
The Knicks fired Thibodeau on Tuesday after five seasons, despite his recent Eastern Conference finals run—a feat the team hadn’t achieved since 2000. Thibodeau’s tenure was considered successful, though he couldn’t lead the team to the NBA Finals.
Pitino expressed sympathy for Thibodeau, praising his work in New York. “I feel bad for Thibs because I think he captured all of New York and built something very, very special,” Pitino said. “A lot of us don’t comprehend what happened, but Thibs is going to be well taken care of and he’ll move on to other pastures.”
With the Knicks now without a head coach, speculation about potential replacements has intensified. Names like former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and ex-Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown have been mentioned. Pitino, who previously worked for the Knicks as an assistant and had a stint with the Boston Celtics, was also considered.
Pitino, currently coaching at St. John’s, led the team to an NCAA tournament appearance and is experiencing a career revival after leaving Louisville. Despite his proven capabilities and proximity to Madison Square Garden, Pitino, 72, appears content with his current role.
“As long as you’re mentally and physically sharp, you do it as long as you can, because coaching is a blessing,” Pitino said. “It’s the second best thing to playing. I’ve been blessed with over 50 years of coaching, and I hope it continues as long as I can do it.”
The Knicks will need to explore other options for their head coaching vacancy.