Tom Thibodeau spent five years rebuilding the New York Knicks, restoring credibility to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises and guiding the team back into contention.
He wasn’t on the sidelines when the Knicks finally won their first NBA championship in 53 years.
But according to former Knicks center Taj Gibson, there was no bitterness from the veteran coach after New York completed its remarkable title run.
Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Sunday, Gibson revealed that he spoke with Thibodeau after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture the franchise’s first title since 1973.
“I talked to Thibs yesterday, and the first thing we talked about was he didn’t have any kind of malice in his heart,” Gibson said. “He didn’t have any kind of hatred. He was so happy for the guys. He was just really so proud of the guys and what they accomplished.”
Instead of dwelling on his dismissal nearly a year earlier, Gibson said Thibodeau focused entirely on the players he once coached.
“He was like, ‘Man, that’s how it goes. You may have some good things going for you, may have some things that don’t go right for you, but I’m just proud of the guys,’” Gibson said.
Tom Thibodeau Built the Foundation of the Knicks’ Championship Team
Although Mike Brown guided New York to the championship in his first season, many around the organization have acknowledged the role Thibodeau played in laying the groundwork for the title run.
After being hired in 2020, Thibodeau immediately transformed the Knicks from perennial lottery participants into a playoff team. He ended the franchise’s eight-year postseason drought in his first season and later guided New York to consecutive 50-win campaigns for the first time since the Pat Riley era of the 1990s.
Thibodeau ultimately left New York as the fourth-winningest coach in franchise history with 226 victories, trailing only Red Holzman, Joe Lapchick and Jeff Van Gundy.
The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals under Thibodeau in 2025 before the organization made the surprising decision to move in a different direction.
Less than one year later, the franchise reached the mountaintop.
Taj Gibson Says Thibodeau’s Reaction Showed ‘Love’
For Gibson, who played under Thibodeau with both the Chicago Bulls and Knicks, the coach’s response reflected the relationships he built with his players over decades in the league.
“I was like, ‘Man, that’s just love,’” Gibson said. “To have that humility and just knowing that you trained these players and have put so much into them, and know that they finally made that final leap to really take the top and go to the championship of New York City.”
GettyNew York Knicks players celebrate with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the 2026 NBA championship on Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. The title is the Knicks’ first since 1973.
The Knicks’ championship run featured many players who blossomed under Thibodeau’s demanding coaching style, including Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, Game 4 hero OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet and defensive anchor Mitchell Robinson.
New York finished the postseason with a dominant 16-3 record, sweeping both the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers before defeating the Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals.
For Thibodeau, it was the ultimate validation of the culture he helped establish.
He may no longer be the coach of the Knicks, but according to one of his most trusted former players, there was only pride as he watched the franchise finally achieve the goal that had eluded New York for more than five decades.
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