Ousted Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau shares classy farewell message for fans in New York Times front page

Tom Thibodeau, who was let go by the New York Knicks on June 3, shared a classy farewell message for the New York fans. He delivered the message to the entire city by taking out a panel on the front page of the New York Times. Thibodeau coached the Knicks for five seasons, leading them to four playoff berths.

This season, he led them to the Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. Shortly after, the Knicks decided to part ways with him.

On Tuesday, Tom Thibodeau’s farewell message reached the fans through the New York Times.

“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,” Thibodeau wrote.

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The New York Knicks finished the 2024-25 season with 51 wins. Thibodeau took command of a squad featuring Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. They defeated the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, on their way to the Eastern Conference finals.

The team was two games away from the NBA Finals before being eliminated by the Pacers. Fans believe, given the quality of their roster, the Knicks should’ve been in the finals.

Were the New York Knicks ill-prepared for Tom Thibodeau’s departure?

The New York Knicks decided to dismiss Tom Thibodeau a few days after losing in the Eastern Conference finals. However, their front office might have underestimated how difficult it would be to replace a coach of his quality.

Since Thibodeau was sacked, New York has asked for permission to speak with Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka. However, they were denied on both requests, as per Shams Charania.

Talk suggests that the Knicks are also planning on requesting permission for Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. But, according to Charania, the Mavericks would also reject them.

After having one of their best seasons of the last decade, the New York Knicks find themselves without a head coach. They also appear to have hit a dead end in their search for Thibodeau’s replacement.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the team starts considering Michael Malone for their coaching vacancy, who led the Nuggets to the NBA Championship in 2023. He was dismissed on April 8, a few days ahead of the playoffs.

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About the author

Sameer Khan

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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