The possible next head coach of the New York Knicks joined First Take last week. Tom Thibodeau spoke about his past coaching gigs and adapting to this NBA.
Most importantly, one of the focal points was hitting on adjusting his coaching style. If he wants to be the Knicks head coach, that’s something he’ll need to do.
The Interview
“My experience this past year in going around and visiting a number of different teams and seeing it — and it’s been evolving this way for probably the last three or four years — there’s different ways to manage practice” Thibs said, for instance.
He said, “There’s load management, there’s sports scientists, there’s situations in which your young guys are practicing a little bit more and your older vets are doing less and you’re separating the two, and you’re bringing them in toward the end of practice to do whatever needs to be done to prepare for that next game.”
Thibs continued, “So I think utilizing all the resources that you now have, understanding how to use them, how to manage that, has become critical.
He said, “I think player care, player wellness, those things are prioritized. I think the big thing is, what does it take to be successful in the playoffs? And if we look at that, you start the season with those things in mind and prepare for the entire season.”
It’s hard to tell if he’s switching up his approach with his next coaching stop. The Knicks can’t have Thibs running RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson into the ground. That’s assuming he’s the Knicks head coach.
The Knicks need to make sure that Thibs style has changed for the better. He needs to prioritize his coaching style around the development and growth of Barrett and Robinson. The New York Knicks to make sure whoever the next hire is that they have their younger players in mind.