The New York Knicks received considerable criticism in the aftermath of Tom Thibodeau’s firing last year, but it turns out the move was quite beneficial, considering the Knicks ended a more than half-century drought by winning the NBA championship with first-year head coach Mike Brown.
Brown, who had similarly been fired controversially by the Sacramento Kings, succeeded Thibodeau and led New York to 53 wins in the regular season and then a dominant postseason, in which the Knicks went 16-3, including their 4-1 series win vs. the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals.
Because of his ouster and his former team’s immediate championship success, some might think that there would be some ill will on Thibodeau’s side. And that’s partially true, according to The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor, but it just isn’t directed at Brown.
“Though Thibodeau didn’t respond to The Athletic’s message seeking comment, one of his favorite players, Taj Gibson, told SiriusXM NBA Radio that he had spoken to the coach and that ‘he didn’t have any kind of malice in his heart. He didn’t have any kind of hatred. He was so happy for the guys. He was just really so proud of the guys and what they accomplished,'” O’Connor wrote.
“Before the season, The Athletic reported that Thibodeau was deeply wounded and ‘had a sense of betrayal’ after his firing and believed some people in the organization he had helped over the years didn’t return that loyalty. On Tuesday, a friend of Thibodeau’s said he is ‘genuinely very happy for the players and his guys’ for winning a historic championship. “But Tom is still hurt that the decision-makers made it appear he needed to be replaced.”
Thibodeau served as the Knicks’ head coach from 2020 to 2025, during which time he led New York to four playoff appearances, four postseason series victories, and its first Eastern Conference Finals berth in 25 years.
The post Taj Gibson reveals how Tom Thibodeau truly feels about Knicks, Mike Brown winning NBA title appeared first on ClutchPoints.
