Magic Johnson and Ben Stiller in Disbelief After Knicks Fired Tom Thibodeau Despite Reaching Conference Finals

NBA legend Magic Johnson and actor Ben Stiller were both stunned by the news of the Knicks firing head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Magic Johnson and Ben Stiller in Disbelief After Knicks Fired Tom Thibodeau Despite Reaching Conference Finals

Magic Johnson, Ben Stiller and Tom Thibodeau (Image By FirstSportz)

The New York Knicks administration declared on Monday that head coach Tom Thibodeau had been fired. The organization is making the move to set a new course toward winning an NBA title. Despite Thibodeau’s noteworthy accomplishments throughout his stay, Knicks President Leon Rose stated that the decision was taken with the team’s future in mind.

The announcement shocked a lot of individuals in the NBA community. Magic Johnson, a great of the Los Angeles Lakers and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, was one of the people who reacted instantly to this development. His post received 1,800 likes and more than 125,000 impressions in just two hours.

WOW WOW WOW. I can’t believe the NY Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was fired today after leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals! The biggest question is why was he fired? Now, who will be the next coach of the Knicks?

Magic Johnson wrote on X

Not only Johnson, a longtime vocal Knicks fan and renowned Hollywood star Ben Stiller, was also in disbelief at this news.

I am a Tom Thibodeau fan. He brought this team back. 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.

Ben Stiller wrote on X

With a 51-31 record, the Knicks claimed the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons in the first two rounds of the 2025 NBA playoffs before falling to the Pacers. In his post, Johnson did seem a bit surprised regarding the Knicks’ decision about their HC role.

The Knicks have not yet named Thibodeau’s replacement. The organization’s continuous plan to assemble a club that can contend for and win an NBA title includes the choice to switch up the leadership. For his commitment and professionalism as head coach, Thibodeau received praise from the organization. Rose wished Thibodeau well in his future pursuits and noted that he would always be a member of the Knicks family.

Now, with stars like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns on their roster, the Knicks board will have to find Thibodeau’s replacement sooner rather than later. Former Nuggets HC Michael Malone is currently a free agent on the market, with the Knicks exploring their options ahead of a crucial offseason for the franchise.

Knicks star Josh Hart reacts to his side firing head coach Tom Thibodeau

The Knicks made the postseason on four occasions in their five years with Thibodeau, winning four playoff series. Since the 2000–01 season, New York had won only one playoff series before Thibodeau was recruited in 2020. Despite all his recent achievements, Thibs got the sack. This brought out epic reactions from many notable personalities.

However, the Knicks star, Josh Hart gave Thibs his flowers via his social media post.

Forever Grateful 🧡💙 Thank You!

Josh Hart wrote on X

The Knicks have never had a head coach change after reaching the NBA Finals or conference/division finals the prior season, making it their first time to do so. Now, all attention drifts onto the Knicks’ front office as they have one of the biggest tasks upon them: replacing Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks owe Tom Thibodeau a whopping $30 million

The team underwent a significant transformation under head coach Tom Thibodeau, as they qualified for the NBA playoffs four of five seasons. However, Ian Begley of SNY reported that the Knicks still owe Tom Thibodeau a significant amount of money after firing him. The reported sum is around $30 million as per his contract agreements.

Thibodeau is no stranger to this type of sackings. He was ousted from Minnesota and Chicago despite having strong basketball records, and had relationship and communication problems there before.

Fact remains, even though Thibodeau is a brilliant coach, but he can also be a frustrating boss because of his unshakeable belief that he is right and his unwavering dedication to his work, which leaves him with little empathy for feelings outside of work.

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