NEW YORK, N.Y. — Despite leading the New York Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years, head coach Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his duties by the organization on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
In addition to coming within reach of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, Thibodeau led the Knicks to the playoffs in four of their last five seasons and delivered back-to-back 50-win campaigns in ‘23-24 and ‘24-25.
He’ll depart Madison Square Garden with a 226–174 overall record, making him the fourth-winningest coach in team history — trailing only Red Holzman, Joe Lapchick and Jeff Van Gundy.
In an official statement from the team, Knicks President Leon Rose addressed the decision, saying, “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction.”
The firing also comes on the heels of Jalen Brunson bristling at a reporter who questioned whether Thibodeau was the right person to continue leading the team following their Game 6 loss to the Pacers.
“Is that a real question right now? Did you just ask me if I believe he’s the right guy? Yes,” Brunson responded, before walking away from the press conference.
The move may seem like a head-scratcher, but SNY’s Ian Begley offered a straightforward explanation, noting that the “organization has great respect for Thibodeau and what he did for [the] Knicks, simply felt new voice was needed.”
While Thibodeau undoubtedly played a key role in turning the franchise around, his tendency to overwork star players and his frequently criticized offensive play-calling appear to have prompted the Knicks to seek a new leader on the sidelines.
As the Knicks begin their search for a new head coach, several intriguing names have already been discussed amongst fans and analysts. Among them are 2023 NBA champion Michael Malone, back-to-back NCAA title winner Dan Hurley, and perhaps the most storybook option of all—Jay Wright, who coached Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart to a national championship with Villanova in 2016.
With the Knicks seemingly in championship-or-bust mode, Thibodeau’s successor will be under a microscope from Day 1 as New York continues its search for its first Big Four sports title since the Giants won the Super Bowl in 2011.