Stephen A Smith calls New York Knicks boss Leon Rose a coward for sharing statement on Tom Thibodeau's exit: 'Get in front of a microphone'
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NBA analyst Stephen A Smith minced no words as he blasted New York Knicks boss Leon Rose for announcing the firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau via a written statement shared on social media.
Smith said Rose should have delivered the news on camera. Thibodeau was shown the door soon after the team was ousted from the Eastern Conference Finals—just a step away from winning the championship, which in itself counts as a major achievement in the NBA.
Steven A Smith wants Leon Rose to answer questions
Stephen A Smith questioned Tom Thibodeau's unceremonious exit, even after he led the New York Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals. Smith said on ESPN, 'To be quite honest with you, I think we all, as New Yorkers, should find Leon Rose's statement offensive.
Get the hell in front of a microphone and a camera and answer questions. Stop being a coward. Because that's how he's acting.'
'I'm not calling him that as a man or as a person. I'm saying that's how he's been acting as president of the New York Knicks when it comes to communicating with the media and articulating the decisions that you make and why they are being made,' he added.
Leon Rose shares statement about Tom Thibodeau's exit
On Tuesday, Leon Rose's written statement was shared on the official social media accounts of the New York Knicks.
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The statement read: "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 a different direction.'
Praising Thibodeau for his achievements, Rose wrote: '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. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories.
Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.
Tom will always be part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future."
Also Read:
Kendrick Perkins says Michael Malone is best fit to replace Tom Thibodeau as New York Knicks coach, but internet disagrees
The New York Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Actor Ben Stiller and Timothee Chalamet, along with his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, were among the Hollywood celebrities cheering for the Knicks during the NBA games before their playoff run ended.
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