Latest news with #LeonRose
New York Post
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Rockets have ‘no interest' in letting Ime Udoka go to Knicks
Ime Udoka can likely be scratched off the shortlist of Knicks coaching candidates. The head coach of the Rockets is under contract until 2027, meaning Houston would have to grant permission just for the Knicks to interview him. And the Knicks would then have to negotiate compensation to the Rockets to pry their coach away from them. The Rockets have 'no interest in entertaining that,' according to The Athletic. The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau after they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games by the Pacers. Thibodeau had been in charge for five years, leading the Knicks to the postseason in four of those seasons. 3 Getty Images 'Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,' Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement. 'This pursuit has led us to the difficult 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. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also 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.' Udoka, despite off-court controversies, is considered one of the best coaches in the NBA. 3 The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after five seasons with the team. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post He led the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his first season in Boston before losing to the Warriors in six games. But his Celtics tenure lasted just one year, as he was suspended and subsequently fired for an alleged improper relationship with a female staffer. He has served as the Rockets' head coach for the past two seasons, leading a stunning turnaround for the franchise. 3 Leon Rose looks on prior to the Knicks-Pistons playoff game on April 21, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images They recorded a 52-30 record this year, finishing second in the Western Conference before losing to the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. The Rockets went 41-41 in his first year with the team. In the four seasons prior to Udoka taking over, the Rockets did not win more than 22 games.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau as head coach after NBA playoff loss
Knicks president Leon Rose thanked Thibodeau in a statement but said, "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 another direction." Thank you, Coach Thibodeau. — NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 3, 2025 In five seasons with the Knicks, Thibodeau posted a 226-174 record (.565) and led New York to the playoffs in four of those seasons. This year marked the first time in 25 seasons that the Knicks had reached the Eastern Conference finals, though the Knicks lost the first two games of the series at home, before losing in six games. (This story will be updated with more information.)
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Knicks fire coach Tom Thibodeau after first Eastern Conference finals berth in 25 years
Tom Thibodeau just took the New York Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals, the deepest playoff march in 25 years for a franchise that reemerged as a contender after he became their coach. For that, he was fired. The Knicks made what they called a 'difficult decision' to move on from Thibodeau on Tuesday, believing it was a necessary step in their chase for a championship. '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,' team president Leon Rose said in a statement. 'Ultimately we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.' The Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers with a loss in Game 6 on Saturday night, falling two games short of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Thibodeau was then asked what the Knicks needed to do this summer to go further. 'Like you would do after every season, you take a step back, I think decompress,' Thibodeau said. 'You do a deep dive on the team and then you analyze what you think you need to improve upon.' The Knicks decided it was the coach. The move was made by Rose with approval from owner Jim Dolan, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because that detail was not included in the announcement. The firing was first reported by ESPN. It's a strange decision by the Knicks, who had been one of the league's worst franchises for most of the 2000s until Thibodeau was hired in 2020. He promptly led the Knicks to the playoffs in his first season, winning his second NBA Coach of the Year award, and they have been a solid contender in the East in recent seasons. They gave Thibodeau a three-year contract extension last summer. Their big breakthrough came in 2024-25, when they knocked off defending champion Boston in the second round to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2000 — when Thibodeau was an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy. After they were eliminated Saturday, captain Jalen Brunson expressed his support for Thibodeau, bristling at a question about whether he believed the coach was right for the team. 'Is that a real question right now?' Brunson said. 'You just asked me if I believe that he's the right guy? Yes. Come on.' Three days later, Thibodeau was gone despite a 226-174 record in New York. He has the fourth-most wins by a Knicks coach. Thibodeau faced criticisms that his hard-driving style and overreliance on his starters wore down his players, the same ones that have followed him since the beginning of his head coaching career in Chicago. But his ways seemed to be working in New York. And even among the celebrities that filled Madison Square Garden, Thibodeau's gruff style was a natural fit for fans who longed for the defense-driven success of the 1990s. 'I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back,' actor Ben Stiller, who watched the postseason run from his courtside seat, wrote on X. '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.' The Knicks hadn't won a playoff series since 2013 but now have done it in three straight seasons. They went 50-32 in 2023-24 and followed that with a 51-31 record this season, having loaded up in the offseason by trading for All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. But the person said the organization felt there was a need for a new voice when the Knicks try again to end their lengthy championship drought. They won their second and last title in 1973. Thibodeau is well aware of their history, having grown up as a Knicks fan in Connecticut before joining the organization as an assistant coach in 1996. He went on to help the Boston Celtics win the 2008 NBA title as an assistant, earning a reputation as one of the league's top defensive minds, before finally getting a chance as a head coach with the Bulls in 2010-11. He went 62-20 in his first season, earning his first Coach of the Year award. Thibodeau, who spent five seasons with the Bulls and also coached Minnesota, is 578-420 as a head coach. ___
New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Stephen A. Smith calls Knicks' Leon Rose a ‘coward' for Tom Thibodeau statement
Stephen A. Smith isn't happy with Knicks president Leon Rose's 'weak ass statement' attempting to justify Tom Thibodeau's firing. 'I think we all as New Yorkers should find Leon Rose's statement offensive,' Smith said Tuesday on 'NBA Today.' 'Get the hell in front of a microphone and a camera and answer questions. Stop being a coward … 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.' In Rose's statement after the shocking ouster, he said the Knicks are 'singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.' 3 Knicks president Leon Rose in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post 'I don't care about that damn statement,' Smith continued in his rant. 'I want to see Leon Rose stand before the camera and justify firing a man that just took you within two games of a berth to the NBA Finals right after you decided to trade five picks for a guy that never even made an All-Star.' Rose assumed his role in 2020 and has not done a solo press conference with independent media since. 3 Stephen A. Smith believes Knicks president Leon Rose owes fans and media more of an explanation regarding the firing of Tom Thibodeau. NBA Today 'Leon Rose has done a damn good job, nobody can deny that,' Smith admitted. 'But it hasn't been a flawless situation. There are moves that could've been made that could've better positioned the New York Knicks to be in a championship situation … But it hasn't happened — then you're gonna issue some weak ass statement like, 'we really, really care.'' The Eastern Conference finals run this postseason was the Knicks' deepest since 2000, when they also lost to the Pacers in six games. The Knicks made the playoffs four times under Thibodeau's stewardship. 3 Tom Thibodeau coached the Knicks to a 226-174 record in his five seasons in New York. Getty Images Smith wants more answers from both Rose and team owner James Dolan. 'It emanates from a James Dolan-run organization, who doesn't want to communicate with the media himself,' Smith said. 'They don't have to answer to anybody because they know that Knicks fans are still gonna show up at Madison Square Garden patronizing their product … We can't expect Leon Rose to because, since James Dolan has arrived, that's not something that he likes and Leon Rose seems to fit right in with that.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
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'
Image credit: Getty Images 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. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo 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.
