Ben Stiller Issues Strong Reaction to Knicks Firing Tom Thibodeau

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 5:18 PM ET

The New York Knicks shocked the NBA world on Tuesday by firing head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks made the conference finals this year for the first time since 2000, losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

Thibodeau joined the Knicks in 2020. He went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the playoffs.

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement.

“This pursuit led us to the decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction. 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."

Thibodeau has coached the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Knicks. He has a .579 career win percentage as a head coach but has never reached the NBA Finals.

Knicks superfan and actor Ben Stiller took to social media after Thibodeau was fired.

The celebrity said he's grateful for Thibodeau helping make New York relevant again.

"I am a Tom Thibodeau fan," Stiller wrote on X. "He brought this team back. 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."

It will be fascinating to see who the Knicks hire to replace Thibodeau, who is 67 years old.

“Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward," Rose said. "Tom will always be part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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