The New York Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau just days after he guided the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years sent shockwaves around the NBA. Fans were stunned. Coaches around the league were stunned. Sports talking heads were stunned.
When Thibodeau took over as head coach in the 2020-21 season, the Knicks were irrelevant, largely due in part to owner James Dolan’s questionable moves.
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But upon his arrival, the team would go on to make the playoffs in four of his five years and the Knicks also enjoyed consecutive 50+ win seasons for the first time in what seemed like forever (since the 1990s, actually).
A little over a week after that shocking firing, instead of lashing out in a sit-down interview or what have you, Thibodeau made the classy move of buying a full page ad in Wednesday’s edition of The New York Times titled “Thank You.”
Related: Ben Stiller Has Candid Reaction to Knicks’ Decision to Fire Tom Thibodeau
“To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you. When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dream became a reality. Thank you to our players and coaching staff who gave everything they had, and to everyone who makes this franchise special.
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“I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals — our first in 25 years.”
He went on to thank the fans for believing in him and embracing him from day one. He signed off, “With gratitude and respect, Tom Thibodeau.”
The Knicks were two wins away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. They delivered magic against the Indiana Pacers but ultimately fell short, 4-2, in the seven-game series.
The firing was such a surprise, it compelled Knicks superfan Ben Stiller to speak out.
“I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back. I felt he gave every bit of himself and was always looking to improve,” he tweeted. “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.”
Tom Thibodeau’s Classy Move After Shocking New York Knicks Firing first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jun 11, 2025
