Josh Hart, Ben Stiller and more react to Knicks' jaw-dropping Tom Thibodeau firing
Fans and players across the NBA were stunned on Tuesday afternoon when the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau days after the the team saw its season come to an end in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Post's Stefan Bondy reported the decision had been made by team president Leon Rose under the guise of it being in the best interest of winning a championship.
In a post on X, Knicks star Josh Hart reacted in a post with orange and blue emoji hearts.
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4 Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts on the court.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
'Forever Grateful,' Hart wrote, 'Thank You!'
His teammates have not yet reacted publicly to the news, but the wife of a former one certainly seemed to.
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Kendra Randle, the wife of ex-Knicks star Julius Randle, uploaded a three-second video clip of her toasting a glass wine with an Italian flag emoji in an eyebrow-raising social media posting.
Celebrity Knicks fan and tennis great John McEnroe reacted to the news live on TNT's broadcast of the French Open, saying, 'That is a bummer.'
4 Actors Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller sit courtside for Game 4 of Knicks-Pacers.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
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Ben Stiller, who was a constant presence during the Knicks playoff run thanks, Thibodeau for all he did for the organization in a post on X.
'I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back,' he wrote. '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 again with him. Thank you COACH THIBS.'
During a hit on ESPN's 'SportsCenter,' NBA insider Shams Charania said that his 'phone is blowing up right now with executives, everyone around the league just stunned.'
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4 Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves warms up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
NBAE via Getty Images
Current Knicks leader Jalen Brunson was adamant that Thibodeau was the guy to lead the team to a championship when he had been asked by a reporter about it over the weekend.
'Is that a real question right now?' the guard responded after the season-ending Game 6 loss in Indianapolis. 'You just asked me if I believe if he's the right guy. Yes.'
Thibodeau spent five seasons in the Big Apple coaching the Knicks and led them to a 226-174 record while guiding them to the playoffs in four of his five seasons as head coach.
4 Knicks guard Josh Hart #3 reacts to a call at referee James Williams.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
That also included the franchise returning to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
Rose said in a statement released by the Knicks that the Knicks 'made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.'
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