The Knicks’ firing of coach Tom Thibodeau shook the basketball world on Tuesday, and some current and former players joined the conversation around the fourth-winningest coach’s ouster.
The most notable current player reaction came from Josh Hart. Hart joined Thibodeau’s crew when the Knicks traded for the combo guard/forward in the middle of the 2022-23 season. Once the Thibodeau news was out, Hart took to social media to post a simple message for his coach: “Forever grateful. Thank you.”
Under Thibs, Hart had his best seasons as a professional player. In his two-plus seasons in New York, Hart averaged 11.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. This past season saw Hart break the Knicks franchise record for triple-doubles, and he even recorded the first Knicks postseason triple-double in more than 50 years.
While other current Knicks have yet to comment on the move, there were plenty of other reactions from around the basketball world. Ben Stiller, award-winning actor and die-hard Knicks fan, gave Thibodeau his flowers for making the Knicks “relevant again.”
“I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back,” he wrote on Tuesday. “I felt he gave every bit of himself and was always looking to improve. I will always be grateful for how far he brought the Knicks. They are relevant again. They are championship contenders again. The Knicks became winners again with him.
Thank you COACH THIBS.”
And then we had former Knicks shocked by the news.
Knicks legend Charles Oakley, who played for New York while Thibodeau was an assistant coach, was being interviewed by News10NBC in Rochester when the news dropped.
“I don’t know who is gonna do a better job,” Oakley said. “That’s sad news, I like Thibs.”
Knicks legend Charles Oakley finding out the team fired Tom Thibodeau today:
“I don’t know who is gonna do a better job.”
“That’s sad news, I like Thibs.” pic.twitter.com/IUABQOIyjW
— Mat Mlodzinski (@MatMlodzinski) June 3, 2025
WOW WOW WOW. I can’t believe the NY Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was fired today after leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals! 🤯 The biggest question is why was he fired? Now, who will be the next coach of the Knicks?
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 3, 2025
After the Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, the organization will now have to find a coach who can do a better job.
Thibodeau went 226-174 in the regular season, and 24-23 in the playoffs in five seasons as the Knicks’ head coach.
One former player has thrown their hat into the ring to coach the Knicks. Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, played just one season for the Knicks but has roots in New York, being born in Queensbridge and excelling at the college level for St. John’s en route to being a first-round draft pick in 1999.
Peace broke down his resume and why he believes he’s the right man for the Knicks job. And other former players share their choice to be the next coach of the New York Knicks.
Metta is the perfect choice for head coach of the @nyknicks . Since 1999 this was suppose to happen. I’ve never ran from the city. When all the top players left NYC because it was hard , I went to @StJohnsBBall . I wanted to be drafted by the Knicks, I seemed to be the only one…
— Coach Metta (@MettaWorld37) June 3, 2025
Mike Malone gotta get that Knicks job! Who else is on the market?
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) June 3, 2025
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