Thibodeau’s Departure and the Knicks’ Success

A year ago, Tom Thibodeau was let go as the head coach of the Knicks—coincidentally, on the same day the team won Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Former Knicks center Taj Gibson expressed his excitement about his former team’s triumph over the Spurs.

Gibson, who spent a significant part of his career under Thibodeau, mentioned that the two-time NBA Coach of the Year harbors “no ill will” towards the Knicks’ accomplishments. He emphasized how genuinely happy Thibodeau is for the players’ success.

“I spoke with Tibbs recently, and right off the bat, I could tell there’s no bitterness there,” Gibson said during an appearance on NBA Radio. “He’s really proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Thibodeau, now 68, became the Knicks’ 31st head coach in July 2020. During his tenure, he transformed the organization from a struggling team into a serious contender. Under his leadership, the Knicks made the playoffs in four of his five seasons and reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025. However, after a tough six-game series loss to the Pacers, the Knicks surprisingly parted ways with him.

Knicks owner James Dolan acknowledged Thibodeau’s crucial role in developing the team’s core, stating, “We did well last year, and I have to give Tom credit for that. But we felt it was time to progress beyond traditional coaching methods.” He added that working things out with Thibodeau wasn’t quite in line with the coach’s preferences.

The Knicks hired Mike Brown to take over as head coach, and under his guidance, the team won their first NBA championship since 1973. Gibson expressed his happiness about the Knicks’ success, saying, “He was like, ‘It is what it is. Sometimes things work out; sometimes they don’t, but I’m proud of them.’”

There are few players who embody Thibodeau’s philosophy quite like Gibson, who played for him for 10 of his 17 NBA seasons, including stints with the Bulls and Timberwolves. As a veteran, Gibson started 56 games for the Knicks back in 2019 and continued to sign with the team on multiple short-term contracts after Thibodeau’s arrival.

Even though Thibodeau missed out on celebrating the Knicks’ championship breakthrough, Gibson believes the connection between Thibodeau and the organization remains strong. “It’s just love,” he remarked. “To know the effort he put into training these players, it’s rewarding to see them finally reach the top and bring the championship home to New York.”