New York Knicks superstar point guard and team captain Jalen Brunson has experienced tremendous growth with the team. All of that growth came with Tom Thibodeau as his head coach since he signed with New York in 2022, and for the first time next season, he will play for a different head coach in New York.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson breaks silence on Tom Thibodeau firing
Brunson broke his silence on Thibodeau’s firing in the latest episode of his and teammate Josh Hart’s podcast, The Roommates Show. There, he expressed gratitude for how Thibodeau helped him grow as a player and impacted his career.
“I’ve known him my entire life… I remember having conversations and moments with him when I was in 8th grade… Just to see like where we are now. Helped me become two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA. The things he’s done for me, obviously individually, I’m so grateful for… To have Thibs to do what he did for my career, I’m just so grateful and thankful for,” Brunson said.
Brunson has known Thibodeau since way back in the late 1990s, when his father and current assistant coach Rick, was a player for the Knicks. Thibodeau was an assistant coach with the Knicks from 1996-2003, with the first five seasons being a part of Jeff Van Gundy’s coaching staff.
Brunson’s career took off under Thibodeau
The moment Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million deal with New York in 2022, his career skyrocketed. He went from being a solid role player on the Dallas Mavericks to a bona fide superstar in a short amount of time, and he credited Thibodeau largely for that success.
Thibodeau believed in his ability right away by making him the starting point guard and ultimately the leader of the team. In the Brunson era, the Knicks have had success not seen in the 21st century, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years this past season.
Despite the success Thibodeau and Brunson had together, a change was needed for the better of the team. They are ready to take the next step and win an NBA title in the near future, and they weren’t going to get there with Thibodeau.
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