Tom Thibodeau, the recently shown door New York Knicks head coach, just purchased a full-page ad in The New York Times. In it, he shared his deep appreciation to the players, coaches, and fans. The ad was his first public retort since his firing. It featured a dramatic black and white photo of Thibodeau on the sidelines at Madison Square Garden.
At 67 years old, Thibodeau will be remembered as the fourth-winningest coach in franchise history. Team president Leon Rose hired him in 2020. He was the hottest name on the coaching market after leading the New York Knicks to consecutive 50-win seasons. It marked the first postseason playoff run for the squad since back-to-back campaigns in 1993-94 and 1994-95. With him at the helm, the Knicks stunned the league with a deep playoff run that nobody saw coming. They beat the Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals and made it to their first conference finals in 25 years, eventually losing to Indiana.
Thibodeau’s connection to the Knicks runs deep. He shared favorite memories from his young life as a Knicks fan. He recalled his own experience as an assistant coach in the 1990s when he worked under Jeff Van Gundy. You knew that his genuine love for the team was coming through in his message to the fans. He left with a gracious note, adding, “And to the fans, thank you for believing in me and embracing me from day one. Watching you support our team, and seeing the Garden ignite with that incomparable Knicks energy, is something I will never forget.”
In his commercial, Thibodeau featured his passion for coaching the Knicks, which he described to be his dream job. He emphasized his appreciation for the unwavering support from the community, saying, “To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you.”
Leon Rose, who hired Thibodeau, underscored the organization’s commitment to winning by stating, “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.”
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