ORLANDO — Tom Thibodeau, a longtime fan and friend of Bill Belichick, praised his move to UNC, calling him the “greatest coach of all time” while naming the former ESPN official by name. I called.
“I think (going to the NCAA) is more appealing now than it's probably ever been,” Thibodeau said. “Universities are hiring GMs now. Like the great Adrian Wojnarowski. St. Bonaventure. Shout out to your dad.”
Thibodeau's father, Thomas Sr., attended St. Bonaventure and was a devoted supporter of the Bonnies basketball team. Wojnarowski recently shocked the basketball world by quitting his job as the preeminent news breaker at ESPN to become the basketball general manager of his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.
Thibodeau, on the other hand, never considered changing jobs.
“I didn’t really have any plans other than I knew I wanted to be a coach,” he said. “So I've loved every job I've ever had, whether it's an assistant, a college coach, an NBA assistant, an NBA head coach. They're all great jobs. The teaching, the leadership. Someone who loves performing, being part of a team, and being part of an organization. I saw Bill say that. If you love what you do, it's not a job. We are lucky to be doing what we love.”
Belichick may have been in the same market as Thibodeau, as he had expressed interest in the Jets' coaching vacancy before being hired by UNC.
Mikal Bridges' adjustment hasn't been smooth. He has shown glimpses, but the results have been mixed on his efficiency and effectiveness as a primary defender on offense.
“That's a big change for him, on both sides of the ball,” Josh Hart said. “He's been the No. 1 guy (offensively in Brooklyn) for the last year and a half and he's gotten 20, 25, 30 play calls. Right now he's the third or fourth option, but the play calls It's going to be an adjustment process, not just physically being in a new place, but mentally. And it takes a little bit of time for him to get into the rhythm of the offense. We have to find him and continue to let him be a playmaker.
“Defensively, we give him tasks that sometimes seem impossible…he doesn't shy away from it. I have to help him. Sometimes I help him a little bit defensively. You can help him, be a point of attack defender and guard the ball, get him off the ball, let him walk around, make him play in passing lanes, block shots, things like that. He's adjusting. It takes a second. He's being asked to sacrifice a lot and do a lot on both sides of the ball.”
