Knicks adding Hall of Fame player to Tom Thibodeau’s coaching staff
Oct 30, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Thibodeau is adding an assistant coach who has been in the game even longer than he has.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Thursday that the Knicks are planning to hire Maurice Cheeks as an assistant coach. The 67-year-old Cheeks had spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls under Billy Donovan.
Cheeks was a standout player for the Philadelphia 76ers and four other NBA teams (including the Knicks themselves from 1990-91). He made four All-Star teams, earned five All-Defensive nods, and started at point guard on the 76ers’ last NBA championship team in 1983. Cheeks eventually got his No. 10 jersey retired by the 76ers and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
To the younger generations, Cheeks is known more so for his lengthy career in coaching. He was an NBA head coach for a total of nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, the 76ers, and the Detroit Pistons, compiling a total record of 305-315 (.492) with three playoff berths. Cheeks then went on to become an assistant coach on the Oklahoma City Thunder for nine total seasons before following Donovan to the Bulls in 2020.
The Knicks present an appealing landing spot with their All-Star duo of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle flanked by a number of talented role pieces. They also have some openings to fill on Thibodeau’s staff as his associate head coach may end up leaving for a different East team.
