One of the main talking points at New York Knicks Media Day on Tuesday was how the team is handling Tom Thibodeau’s removal as head coach after five seasons with the team. They have a new voice in place now with Mike Brown taking the reins, but Thibodeau was the one who set the foundation for where they are now.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson thankful for Tom Thibodeau
Knicks captain and superstar point guard Jalen Brunson spoke about Thibodeau’s firing and how much he meant to him during his Media Day press conference.
“It’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization. He’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career,” Brunson said (h/t Fred Katz of The Athletic).
Thibodeau coached Brunson for three seasons, with each one resulting in a year of growth for the point guard. Brunson is coming off his best individual season to date, as he was named an All-Star starter, Clutch Player of the Year, and an All-NBA second team selection.
The Knicks were ready to move in a different direction
Furthermore, he helped lead the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Despite the success the team endured, they felt as though they reached their ceiling with Thibodeau and that it was time to implement a new voice into their system.
The expectations for Brown are very high, as he is inheriting a Knicks team with title aspirations. Injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton have left the East wide open, and New York has a golden opportunity to make a true run at a championship.
The first glimpse of how they look under their new head coach will come on Oct. 2, when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi to open the preseason.
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