The New York Knicks just had one of their most successful seasons of the last decade, making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Indiana Pacers in six games.
Many thought the deep playoff run was an indicator of a bright future ahead for the organization, and while that may still prove to be true, the identity and fabric of the Knicks is going to be extremely different moving forward.
On Tuesday, New York made the surprising decision to relieve head coach Tom Thibodeau of his duties with the team. Team President Leon Rose released a statement after the decision went public.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction,” Rose said.
“We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories.”
“Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
Thibodeau led the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win seasons, something the organization hasn’t accomplished since 1995. Thibodeau was so successful with the Knicks that he signed a three-year extension with the franchise last summer.
Now, Rose will be tasked with finding a replacement who will be immediately capable of taking the Knicks all the way.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.