“Stupidest damn people in the world”: Charles Barkley delivers scathing assessment as Knicks get rejected by four coaches in embarrassing search

The New York Knicks are at a crossroads after being rejected four times in a week in their pursuit of potential head coaching candidates. It comes after the shocking firing of former head tactician Tom Thibodeau. Many have raised their eyebrows on the Knicks’ plans, including former NBA star and analyst Charles Barkley.

Talking to the NBA TV broadcast during the NBA Finals, Barkley expressed his dismay over the Knicks’ search. He said the team may not have a replacement plan for Thibodeau, who has brought the squad to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years.

“The Knicks gonna be the stupidest damn people in the world. You don’t fire a good coach like that and you don’t have a plan?” he said.

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“I mean, Thibs had a hell of a job…Now, (four) coaches have turned you down. You got to have a plan, man,” Barkley added.

Among the four coaches that the Knicks were denied access to interviewing were Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, Quin Snyder of the Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan of the Chicago Bulls and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets.

Thibodeau, who once won the NBA Coach of the Year award, was hired by the Knicks in 2020, spending five seasons with the team, four of which saw them advance to the playoffs.

This year was the Knicks’ biggest breakthrough, beating the up-and-coming Detroit Pistons in the first round, before dethroning the Boston Celtics in the second round. However, the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the East Finals.

Tom Thibodeau buys newspaper page to thank New York fans

Tom Thibodeau was beloved during his time with the Knicks. Days after his firing, the former head coach took time and money to write a message for New York fans, thanking them for the support throughout his stint in an advertisement page in New York Times.

“To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you," he wrote. “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 has been a head coach in the NBA since 2010, starting his career with the Chicago Bulls. He then joined the Minnesota Timberwolves before moving to New York in 2020.

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Rob Andrew Lo

Rob Andrew Lo is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience in the field. Rob studied journalism at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines and his love for sports made this an obvious career to pursue.

Rob's favorite team is the Oklahoma City Thunder. He grew up watching Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and his admiration for them left not only a lasting impression but solidified his fandom.

When not working, Rob loves to play basketball. If he isn't watching or writing about basketball, he can probably be found watching pro wrestling.

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