Tom Thibodeau has been dismissed as head coach of the New York Knicks despite leading the franchise to their best finish in 25 years.
The Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers with a loss in Game 6 on Saturday night, falling two games short of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
It was the fourth post-season trip in his five seasons in New York for Thibodeau, who departs with a 226-174 record in New York and with the fourth-most wins by a Knicks coach.
The Knicks made what they called a “difficult decision” to move on from Thibodeau, believing it was a necessary step in their chase for a first championship since 1973.
In a statement on Tuesday, Knicks president Leon Rose said: “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.
“We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories.
“Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
How Thibodeau ‘made Knicks relevant again’
Thibodeau was asked after the Game 6 loss about what the Knicks needed to do this summer to go further, where he replied with: “Like you would do after every season, you take a step back, I think decompress.
“You do a deep dive on the team and then you analyse what you think you need to improve upon.”
Thibodeau has been head coach at the New York Knicks for the past five seasons
Captain Jalen Brunson expressed his support for Thibodeau, bristling at a question about whether he believed the coach was right for the team.
“Is that a real question right now?” Brunson said. “You just asked me if I believe that he’s the right guy? Yes. Come on.”
The Knicks hadn’t won a play-off series since 2013 but now have done it in three straight seasons, with actor Ben Stiller among those to pay tribute to the impact Thibodeau on their resurgence.
“I am a Tom Thibodeau fan,” Stiller wrote on X. He brought this team back. I felt he gave every bit of himself and was always looking to improve. I will always be grateful for how far he brought the Knicks.
“They are relevant again. They are championship contenders again. The Knicks became winners again with him.”
The NBA Finals kick off on Thursday, with the Indiana Pacers playing the Oklahoma City Thunder. The next regular season is scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and end in April 2026.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings