At long last, it seems that Tom Thibodeau will be returning to the NBA. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Thibs is still the favorite to land the prestigious head coaching gig for the New York Knicks:
.@ShamsCharania: “Kevin Knox, for whatever reason, has failed to gain traction within the Knicks, and his future could very well be up in the air going into next year,” @NYPost_Berman has reported NYK not sold on Knox
Shams: Thibs still favorite for HCpic.twitter.com/Nm9cjr0O9K
— Daily Knicks (@DailyKnicksFS) June 29, 2020
While most of this video details the Knicks’ seeming dislike for youngster Kevin Knox, the reporting whiz then tosses out a short update on the Knicks coaching search.
The 62-year-old Thibodeau last coached in the league in the 2018-19 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his acrimonious split with Jimmy Butler on that team is already the stuff of legend. Thibs’s name has been floated throughout the league since, but these Knicks rumors seem to have the most traction of any involving the erstwhile head coach.
Thibodeau has seen his fair share of success in the league. His first season as a head coach was a momentous one. Thibs led the Bulls to a striking 62-20 record, which was the best in the entire league. Thibodeau’s hard-nosed defensive style tied to the meteoric rise of point guard Derrick Rose, which helped lift the Bills into the national spotlight. Thibodeau was rewarded with a Coach of the Year award for his efforts.
Thibs left the Bulls following the 2014-15 season, but that wasn’t before he accrued a 255-139 record with a team – good for a robust 64.7 winning percentage.
Of course, things didn’t go quite as swimmingly in Minneapolis as Thibodeau’s “old-school” approach seemed to grate on the team’s young stars. Time will tell if that same approach gets similar results with the youthful Knicks going forward.
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