The New York Knicks are gearing up to search for a new head coach, and Tom Thibodeau sounds like the early favorite to land the job.
Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose has Thibodeau at the top of his list of potential coaching candidates, Shams Charania and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic report. The team is aiming to make a decision within the next few weeks, and Thibodeau is one of several big names that have been linked to the job.
Thibodeau hasn’t coached since being fired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in January 2019. The 62-year-old has been close with Rose for two decades stemming from Rose’s time as an agent with CAA, which is the agency that represents Thibodeau. Thibodeau also served as an assistant coach for the Knicks from 1996 to 2004, so he has previous ties to the organization.
Interim head coach Mike Miller has reportedly impressed Rose, so he is expected to get an interview for the full-time coaching position. Former Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson is also on the list, according to The Athletic.
Thibodeau recently downplayed rumors linking him to head coaching jobs and indicated he does not feel the need to rush back into coaching. The connections between him and the organization can’t be ignored, however, and there has been talk that Thibodeau wants the job.
