 Thibodeau as head coach of theChicago Bulls in 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New York Knicks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Head coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | NBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1958-01-17)January 17, 1958 (age 67) New Britain, Connecticut, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | New Britain (New Britain, Connecticut) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Salem State (1977–1981) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1981–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1984 | Salem State (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | Salem State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1989 | Harvard (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | San Antonio Spurs (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2003 | New York Knicks (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Houston Rockets (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Boston Celtics (Associate HC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2015 | Chicago Bulls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Minnesota Timberwolves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–present | New York Knicks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As head coach: As assistant coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. (/ˈθɪbədoʊ/THIB-ə-doh;[1][2] born January 17, 1958), nicknamed "Thibs" (/ˈtɪbz/TIBZ), is an Americanbasketball coach who is the head coach for theNew York Knicks of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an assistant coach for theUnited States men's national basketball team from 2013 to 2016, and helped Team USA win a gold medal at the2016 Olympic Games.[3]
As adefensive coach, he helped theHouston Rockets rank among the Top 5 in the league in scoring defense andfield goal percentage defense from2004 to2007,[4] and he has helped his team finish in the league's Top 10 in team defense 15 times.[5] He has coached in 214 playoff games as an assistant coach, associate head coach, and head coach. Also, he was part of the1999 NBA Finals as an assistant coach with theNew York Knicks before joining theBoston Celtics, with whom he won the2008 NBA Finals as well as helping guide them back to the2010 NBA Finals, serving as a defensive coach. In 2011, he was named theNBA Coach of the Year after leading theChicago Bulls to a 62-win season, and would win the award again in 2021 after leading the Knicks to their first playoff berth in eight seasons.
Thibodeau was born on January 17, 1958, inNew Britain, Connecticut. He attendedNew Britain High School, where he excelled in basketball.
Thibodeau played basketball atSalem State College, serving as captain during the 1980–81 season. During his time with the Vikings, the six-foot-two-inch Thibodeau helped Salem State to consecutive Division III national tournaments (1980, 1981). In 1980, Thibodeau helped Salem State to the league championship and the school's first NCAA Tournament bid.
Upon graduating, he became an assistant coach at the school in 1981. In 1984, at age 25, he became head coach at Salem State after serving three years as an assistant.
One season later he became an assistant coach atHarvard University, where he spent the next four seasons.
While coaching in college, Thibodeau attended coaching clinics and visited the practices of many of the top coaches in the U.S., including Hall of Fame coachesBobby Knight,Rick Pitino,Hubie Brown,Gary Williams,Morgan Wootten, andJim Calhoun.[6] In 1987, Thibodeau befriendedBill Musselman, a former head coach in the NBA, ABA and NCAA who was coaching theAlbany Patroons of theContinental Basketball Association. According to theNew York Times, "the Patroons’ practices, the attention to detail, the efficiency, the sheer number of offensive sets, fed into Thibodeau's addiction."[7]
After four years at Harvard, he entered theNational Basketball Association (NBA) in 1989, as an assistant coach with anexpansion team, theMinnesota Timberwolves, who had hiredBill Musselman as the team's first head coach. Prior to the1991–92 season, he joined theSeattle SuperSonics as an advance scout.
Thibodeau moved to theSan Antonio Spurs thefollowing season, where he worked as an assistant coach toJerry Tarkanian,Rex Hughes andJohn Lucas for two seasons.
After the1993–94 season, he left the Spurs along with Lucas to become an assistant under Lucas with thePhiladelphia 76ers.
After the1995–96 season, he again left simultaneously with Lucas, this time joining theNew York Knicks as an assistant to head coachJeff Van Gundy, who later said that Thibodeau was the best coach on the staff, even better than Van Gundy.[7]
During his tenure with the Knicks, Thibodeau helped the team set a then-NBA record by holding 33 consecutive opponents under 100 points in the2000–01 season. As part of the Knicks coaching staff, he also helped Van Gundy coach theEastern Conference All-Stars in the2000 All-Star Game. He spent seven years with the Knicks.
Thibodeau joined theHouston Rockets prior to the2003–04 season, where again he was an assistant to head coach Van Gundy, who has described Thibodeau as "brilliant".[7]
_sits_on_the_sidelines_with_assistant_coaches_Tom_Thibodeau_(right)_and_Armond_Hill_(left)_in_Game_4_of_the_2008_NBA_Playoffs_against_the_Atlanta_Hawks.jpg)
On August 30, 2007, Thibodeau was named associate head coach of theBoston Celtics,[8][9][10] who hoped his hiring would bolster their defense.[11] Eventually, he helped the Celtics become the best defensive team in the league.[12] On November 4, 2007, Thibodeau took over head coaching duties against theToronto Raptors in place ofDoc Rivers, who was unable to coach due to the death of his father earlier that day.[13]
During the2008 playoffs, Thibodeau was rumored to be a candidate for the vacant head coaching job with theNew York Knicks, for whom he had worked as an assistant coach for seven years, as well as theChicago Bulls,[14][15] but he was not hired by either.
Thibodeau led theCeltics to the best rating in several defensive categories in2007–08,[5] and was a key factor in containingKobe Bryant during the2008 Finals, which the Celtics won, earning Thibodeau his first NBA Championship.[16]
On June 2, 2010, Thibodeau interviewed with officials from theChicago Bulls for their vacant head coach position.[17] On June 23, he was confirmed as the Bulls' head coach. Thibodeau was named the NBA Coach of the Year on May 1, 2011, after tying the record for most wins by a rookie head coach with 62. He also led the Bulls to their first 50-win season and first division title since theMichael Jordan era.[18] The Bulls lost theEastern Conference finals to theMiami Heat.
On February 14, 2012, Thibodeau clinched the position of Eastern Conference All-Star Coach for theAll-Star Game in Orlando. At the time, the Bulls were first in the Eastern Conference.[19]
With a win over theOrlando Magic on March 19, 2012, Thibodeau became the fastest coach in NBA history to earn 100 career victories. He accomplished this in 130 games, one game fewer than the record set previously byAvery Johnson in 2006.[20] Thibodeau and the Bulls were the East's top seed entering theplayoffs and also had the league's best regular-season record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.[21]
In Game 1 of the Bulls' first-round series against thePhiladelphia 76ers,point guardDerrick Rose tore hisACL.[22] Commenting on Thibodeau's decision to leave Rose in the game, Bullsgeneral managerGar Forman stated, "There is absolutely no issue there. It's a playoff game. They had cut a lead down (from 20) to 12. We're going to have our guys on the floor making sure we win the game. Tom is a terrific coach who does a lot of things well. One of the best things he does is pace our team."[23]
Thibodeau finished second toGregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs in 2012 NBA Coach of the Year voting. The Bulls' season was cut short after a 4–2 defeat by the 76ers.[24]
Rose missed the entire 2012–13 season, but despite his absence, the Bulls finished 45–37, second in the Central Division (behind theIndiana Pacers) and 5th in their conference. They defeated theBrooklyn Nets 4–3 (after leading 3–1) in the first round of the playoffs and lost to the Miami Heat 4–1 in the next round.On May 13, 2013, Thibodeau was fined $35,000 for defending his players while commenting on the seemingly inadequate foul calls by the referees during the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat.[25]
Thibodeau finished third in 2014 NBA Coach of the Year voting. He led the second year straightDerrick Rose-less Bulls to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls' season ended with a 4–1 series loss to the fifth-seededWashington Wizards.[26]
Tension between the Bulls' front office and Thibodeau grew considerably over the 2014–15 season, which ended in a six-game series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Shortly thereafter, on May 28, 2015, the Bulls decided to move in a different direction and let go of Thibodeau.[27]
Thibodeau was named on June 10, 2013, an assistant coach for the 2013–16United States men's national basketball team.[3] As a member of the 2014–16 USA Basketball Men's National Team coach staff, Thibodeau assisted the US to a sterling overall record of 26–0. The USA finished 9–0 to win the gold medal at the2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, while the 2014 USA National Team compiled a 4–0 record during its exhibition tour before the World Cup. Two years later, Thibodeau was again on the USA bench and helped lead the U.S. to the 2016 Olympic championship as the Americans rolled to an 8–0 record and the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before heading to Rio, the 2016 USA National Team posted a 5–0 record during its domestic exhibition tour.[3]
Head coachMike Krzyzewski heaped enormous praise on Thibodeau, who served as his right-hand man during the victories. "Tom is one of the great coaches on this planet," Krzyzewski said. "To be honest, he talked to the team more than I did," said Krzyzewski.[28]
On April 20, 2016, it was announced that theMinnesota Timberwolves had hired Thibodeau as head coach and president of basketball operations.[29] The Timberwolves had spent the better part of a decade in NBA purgatory, having not made the playoffs since 2004,Kevin Garnett’s lone MVP season. In his second season, the Timberwolves made their first playoff appearance in 14 years, losing in theFirst round to the top-seededHouston Rockets in five games.[30] The Timberwolves had a tumultuous off season involving the exit of Jimmy Butler from Minnesota. Thibodeau would be released from the Timberwolves in January 2019 after a period of regression following the end of the playoff drought.[31]
On July 30, 2020, theNew York Knicks announced that they hired Thibodeau as their head coach.[32] In the shortened2020–21 season, his first as head coach of the Knicks, Thibodeau guided the Knicks to their first playoff appearance since the2012–13 season.[33][34] After the season Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.[35] During his stint in New York, Thibodeau has been widely credited with returning the recently struggling franchise to regular playoff contention.
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem State Vikings(Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference)(1984–1985) | |||||||||
| 1984–85 | Salem State | 9–17 | 4–8[36] | 7th | |||||
| Salem State: | 9–17 | 4–8 | |||||||
| Total: | 9–17 | ||||||||
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 2010–11 | 82 | 62 | 20 | .756 | 1st inCentral | 16 | 9 | 7 | .563 | Lost inconference finals |
| Chicago | 2011–12 | 66 | 50 | 16 | .758 | 1st in Central | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost infirst round |
| Chicago | 2012–13 | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | 2nd in Central | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 | Lost inconference semifinals |
| Chicago | 2013–14 | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | 2nd in Central | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost infirst round |
| Chicago | 2014–15 | 82 | 50 | 32 | .610 | 2nd in Central | 12 | 6 | 6 | .500 | Lost inconference semifinals |
| Minnesota | 2016–17 | 82 | 31 | 51 | .378 | 5th inNorthwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Minnesota | 2017–18 | 82 | 47 | 35 | .573 | 4th in Northwest | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost infirst round |
| Minnesota | 2018–19 | 40 | 19 | 21 | .475 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| New York | 2020–21 | 72 | 41 | 31 | .569 | 3rd inAtlantic | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost infirst round |
| New York | 2021–22 | 82 | 37 | 45 | .451 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| New York | 2022–23 | 82 | 47 | 35 | .573 | 3rd in Atlantic | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | Lost inconference semifinals |
| New York | 2023–24 | 82 | 50 | 32 | .610 | 2nd in Atlantic | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | Lost inconference semifinals |
| Career | 916 | 527 | 389 | .575 | 85 | 38 | 47 | .447 | |||
In his five years as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, the franchise was 255–139 (.647 winning percentage), and led the league in close-game winning percentage at .623 (66–40).
Thibodeau has been compared to legendary NFL coachBill Belichick because of his attention to detail, organization, and game planning. “[Thibodeau] was meticulously organized, almost scary organized, and he reminded me of Bill Belichick. I’ve spent a lot of time with Belichick and Thibodeau’s got a lot of the same mannerisms, the same attention to detail that Belichick has. And that’s about the highest compliment I could give someone," said Hall of Fame basketball coachRick Pitino.[37] "[Thibodeau is] very similar to Bill Belichick if you ever to go to a Bill Belichick practice,” said former NBA playerBrian Scalabrine. “Every smallest detail of his practice is talked about. Every pass has to be seamed. Every shot has to be quick and balanced. Every pick-and-roll you have to come off shoulder-to-hip,” said Scalabrine.[37]
He has been called "one of the best coaches in the NBA",[38] sometimes ranking among the top five coaches in the league among NBA general managers.[39] He was ranked 13th best coach in 2017 by ESPN, despite the Timberwolves finishing outside of playoff contention.[40]
Highly regarded as a defensive strategist, in January 2013, ESPN praised Thibodeau's defensive system as "the pinnacle of team defensive strategy in the NBA."[41] However, according to a 2010 Boston Globe article, "one of the many misconceptions about Thibodeau is that he’s strictly a defensive specialist." Jeff Van Gundy hired Thibodeau because he was drawn to "his innovative offensive sets" and "player development skills."[42]
Thibodeau has been described as a "no-nonsense coach, but his personal authenticity and the success of his strategies endear him to his players."[41] According toKevin Garnett, who played for Thibodeau in Boston, Thibodeau is "a worker. He's a guy that loves his job. He does it with passion."[43] Thibodeau also helped develop a youngKobe Bryant. "[Thibodeau] was crucial [to my development]. He was with me when I was 16 or 17 years old,” Bryant said in 2010. "Just doing drills and just working on ballhandling and just teaching me the game. He was there from Day 1."[37]
In 2005, while an assistant with the Houston Rockets, Thibodeau began working withYao Ming, traveling to China to hone Yao's skills.[44] According to Jon Barry, a former NBA player who worked as an assistant with the Rockets, "Thibodeau was an effective one-on-one teacher [who spent] countless hours ... working with Yao Ming on his footwork...."[45] Also, former Rockets head coachJeff Van Gundy praised Thibodeau for his development of Yao. "Tom was tremendous in developing a routine that Yao could follow — a blueprint to take him from being good to being great,” said Van Gundy.[37] During the 2004–05 season, Yao averaged 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The following season, after working with Thibodeau, Yao averaged 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds.
A number of Thibodeau's former players have praised him for his ability to develop their talent. According toJoakim Noah, who played for Thibodeau and finished 4th in MVP voting with the Bulls in 2014, "I feel like I really improved as a player because of him."[46]
Rose, who became the youngest MVP in league history under Thibodeau, also had similar praise for his former coach, telling the Detroit News, “I figured out that Thibs loved me unconditionally. He’s the first coach up here that I felt like loved me unconditionally and it wasn’t about what I did for him."[47]
A native ofNew Britain, Connecticut, Thibodeau was born to Thomas J. Thibodeau Sr., and Ann M. (Montanile) Thibodeau and has four siblings (two brothers and two sisters).[48] He graduated with aBachelor of Science degree and aMaster of Science incounseling fromSalem State University. In 1998, he was inducted into theNew Britain SportsHall of Fame.
Thibodeau has never been married.[49] According to a 2012New York Times profile, Thibodeau was engaged while he was in graduate school at Salem State, but the marriage was called off six weeks before the scheduled wedding. The same article focused on Thibodeau's obsessive focus on basketball as the reason he has never had the time or attention to have much of a personal life, marriage included.[7]
