Former Knicks Star ‘Can’t Feel Too Sorry’ for Tom Thibodeau

The NBA is always full of surprises, and a big one came when the New York Knicks let go of head coach Tom Thibodeau after a season that almost got them to the championship game. Almost is the operative word, and the Knicks didn’t go to that final series, which is why Thibodeau got the boot.

Considering that Thibodeau had a successful record with the team, it really did come as a shock when they parted ways with him. He hasn’t even made a public statement since that fateful day.

Current New York Knicks players have also been hush-hush when it comes to what they know about Thibodeau and how he handled the surprising news. But, now, one former Knicks star is opening up about Thibodeau and revealing how he’s doing post-New York.

The State of Former Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau

Former Knicks star Derrick Rose is giving some insight into how Thibodeau is doing. The two are close, and Rose played on his New York Knicks teams towards the end of his career.

Speaking during a NASCAR press conference on Sunday, July 6, since he was serving as the grand marshal for the Chicago event, he said via Steven Taranto, “It’s crazy. I talked to Thibs after that. He’s good.”

“You can’t be mad when you’re walking away with $30 million,” he added. “So, can’t feel too sorry for him. But he’s in good spirits. Yeah, that’s my guy. We locked in till the end. But he’s good. Jalen [Brunson] is still in New York. He’s gonna be ballin’. Everybody wins, I feel like.”

It’s a good point that Thibodeau walked away with a big buyout, which had to ease some of the pain, but it’s not all about money, and he was likely not happy about the situation. Now, the Knicks have a fresh head coach hire in Mike Brown.

Thibodeau was fired after five seasons in New York. During his time with the Knicks, he helped head them to the playoffs four times.

The Knicks’ Future With Mike Brown

While Thibodeau took the Knicks to the playoffs an impressive four times, the whole point of bringing Brown to the Big Apple is to hopefully see the team get to the championship.

In a July 2 feature for ESPN, NBA expert and analyst Chris Herring notes that “having coached everyone from LeBron James to Kobe Bryant to Stephen Curry to Fox, Brown is no stranger to the idea of one-on-one basketball in the clutch. Upon beginning work with the Knicks, Brown will have coached all three players — Fox, Curry and Brunson — who have won Clutch Player of the Year.”

He adds that the Kings, “who were so good in tight games in 2022-23 and decent in 2023-24, had piled up a league-worst 13 clutch losses at the time Brown was let go last season” and that “having Brunson will help there.”

Herring also says that “part of what Brown will be tasked with in New York is finding ways to get more out of Bridges and Anunoby, who were Nos. 1 and 2 in the NBA in corner 3-pointers attempted last season.”