“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.” Everyone was shocked when Knicks President Leon Rose announced the news of Tom Thibodeau’s sudden firing just three days after the team’s playoffs exit. Many were left wondering – Why would you fire a head coach who just led you to your first Conference Finals in 25 years?
Sure enough, rumors started buzzing and the hoop community began looking for reasons that might have led to Thibodeau’s exit. And one unusual connection caught the fans’ attention – Karl-Anthony Towns! One netizen pointed it out on X, “KAT got Thibs fired twice lmfaaaaooooooooo”
Yes, this is the second time Thibodeau has lost his job while coaching a Towns-led team. It happened six years ago in Minnesota when the Timberwolves fired him after two years as head coach. Of course, the connection does not imply that it was KAT who got the head coach booted on either occasion. However, the sheer coincidence of Towns being on both teams is a bit uncanny. More so, because it was only last summer that the Knicks acquired the big man from the Timberwolves. And a year later, Thibodeau is gone.
Amid the rising speculations, KAT has remained rather tight lipped. As a tribute to Thibodeau, he shared an image of himself and the head coach sitting on the bench during practice, indulged in what seems like a fun conversation. However, the Center did not add any words to his IG story.
Even the image KAT shared was part of an end of season post he made earlier about his first year with the Knicks. “This city. These fans. Thank you. The best is yet to come ” The caption read. But don’t worry. There is no bad blood between Towns and Thibodeau.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Tom Thibodeau have always said positive things about each other
After KAT reunited with Thibs last summer, he reminisced about his time with the head coach in Minnesota and was excited to start a new chapter, “You know what I respected so, so much about him is that he wanted to win. And he put the hours in and he put the work in. Playing for Thibs was just watching someone who truly loves what they do and puts all their passion and their life mission is being the best coach they can be.”
During another interview, Towns said, “I still look at Thibs as one of the best X’s and O’s coaches I’ve been able to play for. He breathes winning and I got nothing but respect for him.” Even the head coach shared a similar sentiment toward the Knicks Center. Long before KAT was acquired by the New York franchise, Thibs had nothing but high praise for him, “Watching the progress he’s made throughout his career, he’s as gifted as they come.”
He continued, “When you look at an offensive player, particularly a big, the skill set that he has, I think we all saw, to win the 3-point contest and stuff like that, there’s nothing he can’t do offensively. He has continued to get better, I think… He’s really, really gifted.” Even though KAT and Thibs were unable to reach the ultimate goal of winning a championship together, their bond is still intact as evident from Towns’ tribute on his IG story. So, Tom getting fired twice with KAT on his roster might just be a coincidence after all. Thoughts?
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