Jalen Brunson’s response to a question about Tom Thibodeau’s future as New York Knicks coach resurfaced online Tuesday after Thibodeau was fired.
Brunson was asked after the Knicks’ loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals on May 31 whether he had confidence in Thibodeau as the team’s head coach. At the time, Brunson was perplexed by the question, and wondered why it even had to be asked.
“Is that a real question right now? Did you just ask me if I believe he’s the right guy? Yes,” Brunson responded.
Jalen Brunson was asked if he has confidence that Tom Thibodeau is the right coach for the Knicks moving forward:
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) June 1, 2025
"Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe if he's the right guy. Yes." pic.twitter.com/FRjCO8genL
Clearly, the question was justified. The Knicks fired Thibodeau less than a week later, in spite of Brunson’s public endorsement.
Brunson is the Knicks’ franchise player, so his reaction to the team’s decision will be interesting. At least publicly, he was fully behind Thibodeau, and found the idea of the coach getting fired to be ridiculous. It stands to reason that the organization was likely pondering Thibodeau’s future even as Brunson publicly dismissed the question.
The reaction to Thibodeau’s firing has been swift, with many fans mocking the Knicks over the decision. Many are thinking along the same lines as Brunson was. The team has been successful under Thibodeau. Why change something that has worked? Ultimately, the Knicks decided to take the risk, possibly blindsiding Brunson in the process.
