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The New York Knicks reportedly fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday. Thibodeau had coached the Knicks for the past five seasons, leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025. New York ultimately decided to move on from the defensive-minded coach following the '25 Eastern Conference Finals as the organization prepares to head in a new direction.
“The Knicks are singularly focused on their pursuit of a championship and believe a new voice will serve as the focus for the organization's next step, sources said. After five seasons with the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau is out as head coach,” Shams Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter, after breaking the news.
Who will be the “new voice” in New York? There will certainly be no shortage of candidates, but there are three specific potential options who could make sense to replace Thibodeau with the Knicks. Before diving into the list, other potential options include: Mike Budenholzer, Johnnie Bryant, Frank Vogel, and Becky Hammon.
Without further ado, here are three of the best Tom Thibodeau replacements for the Knicks.
1. Jay Wright
Jay Wright — the former head coach of Villanova basketball — immediately stands out as a candidate. The NBA world is well aware of the Knicks' link to Villanova, with players such as Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the roster.
However, there are more reasons why Wright makes sense as a candidate.
The 63-year-old features plenty of coaching experience. After working as an assistant at various college basketball programs from 1984-1994, Wright landed his first head coaching gig with Hofstra basketball in 1994. He would coach there until 2001 before landing the job at Villanova. Wright led Villanova until 2022, finding success along the way.
His lack of NBA coaching experience may not seem ideal — but this is a coach who understands what it takes to win. Speculation of Wright possibly coaching the Knicks immediately surfaced following the news of Thibodeau's firing. New York will consider a number of candidates, but Wright could be a serious option.
2. Michael Malone
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Michael Malone is expected to be a popular candidate for coaching vacancies around the NBA after the Denver Nuggets surprisingly moved on from him toward the end of the 2024-25 season. Could he emerge as a possibility for New York?
The 53-year-old began his coaching career as an assistant at the college basketball level before landing an assistant job with the Knicks in 2001. He would go on to work as an assistant with multiple teams around the NBA until 2013, when he earned the Sacramento Kings' head coaching job. In 2015, though, Malone ended up in Denver as the Nuggets' head coach.
Malone led the Nuggets to a championship as Nikola Jokic established himself as the best player in the league. With Denver, Malone became known as one of the better coaches in the NBA. His NBA experience is something that will surely intrigue the Knicks after moving on from Thibodeau.
3. Dan Hurley
Dan Hurley is expected to remain with UConn basketball. The chances of Hurley ending up in New York seem fairly slim. However, it should not be completely ruled out.
Hurley, similarly to Wright, has become a star head coach at the college basketball level. He doesn't have the NBA experience of someone like Malone, but Hurley's mind for the game won't be ignored. UConn is consistently in the championship conversation, and Hurley has played a pivotal role in the program's success.
It would not be surprising if the Knicks at least reached out to Hurley. It remains to be seen if Hurley would even consider the idea of leaving UConn, but New York could reach out to gauge potential interest.
