Tom Thibodeau, who was recently fired as head coach of the New York Knicks, expressed his gratitude to the team and fans in a full-page advertisement in The New York Times. Reflecting on his five seasons with the Knicks, he wrote, “To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you.”
Thibodeau’s dismissal by team president Leon Rose came just three days after the Knicks’ season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, marking the team’s deepest playoff run in 25 years. In his farewell message, Thibodeau stated, “When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dreams became a reality.”
As the Knicks search for a new head coach, they have faced challenges in securing interviews with potential candidates. Reports indicate that the Dallas Mavericks declined the Knicks’ request to speak with Jason Kidd, who has a 179-149 record since taking over as head coach in 2021 and led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals. Additionally, the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls denied the Knicks permission to interview their head coaches, Quin Snyder and Billy Donovan, respectively.
Snyder, who has a record of 86-99 with the Hawks, previously coached the Utah Jazz for eight seasons, leading them to six consecutive playoff appearances. Donovan, with a record of 195-205 in Chicago, also had a successful tenure at the University of Florida, winning back-to-back NCAA championships.
The Knicks also faced rejections from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets regarding their head coaches, Chris Finch and Ime Udoka.
Thibodeau, 67, finished his Knicks tenure with a 226-174 regular-season record and a playoff record of 24-23. He signed a three-year extension in July 2024 worth an estimated $10-11 million per season. Meanwhile, Kidd recently signed a multiyear contract extension with Dallas.
