New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Basketball Legend Slams Knicks For Firing Tom Thibodeau

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks have faced a ton of backlash after firing Tom Thibodeau in the days following their elimination from the Eastern Conference Finals.

During the series, Thibodeau struggled to get the Knicks over the hump in a very winnable matchup against the Indiana Pacers.

Several people have criticized the Knicks for the harsh reaction to their elimination, including college basketball icon Dick Vitale, who took to social media to get his feelings off his chest.

EMBARRASSING describes the mess in hiring a coach by the @nyknicks front office .They had a guy who has done a quality job in TOM THIBODEAU - if making a change should have your choice guy committed . Being humiliated with all they have sought is pathetic / hire Tom back !
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 12, 2025

The Knicks fired Thibodeau on June 3, but they didn't have much of a plan beyond that. Since then, they have requested interviews for a number of teams around the league to hire their incumbent head coach, including Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets and Quin Snyder of the Atlanta Hawks.

Vitale thinks the Knicks should consider hiring Thibodeau back, which would be quite the twist for this saga, but it is very unlikely to happen. It's hard to imagine the Knicks not being able to get anyone to want this coaching job.

There are a few people currently unemployed that could fill Thibodeau's role. Former head coaches Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies), Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) and Mike Brown (Sacramento Kings) are all respected within the profession and were surprisingly fired in the middle of the season.

All of them have varying degrees of success in the NBA and should be considered for the job if the Knicks are interested in having any of them.

The Knicks are taking their time and utilizing patience for the hiring process, because this decision will have a large impact on whether New York improves and moves onto the NBA Finals next season or remains in the same spot.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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