Tom Thibodeau, who was dismissed as head coach of the New York Knicks exactly one year before the team’s Game 1 victory in the NBA Finals, remains proud of the franchise’s recent success, according to former Knicks center Taj Gibson. Gibson, who spent much of his NBA career under Thibodeau’s tutelage, said the coach holds no ill will toward the team’s championship triumph.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio on Sunday, Gibson recounted a recent conversation with Thibodeau, during which the coach expressed happiness and pride for the players' accomplishments. “He had no malice in his heart. He didn’t have any kind of hatred,” Gibson said. “He was so happy for the guys. He was just really proud of the guys for what they accomplished.”

Thibodeau, 68, took over as the Knicks’ head coach in July 2020 and played a significant role in transforming the team from an NBA underperformer into a consistent playoff contender. Under his leadership, New York qualified for the postseason in four out of five seasons and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals in 2025. However, shortly after the Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in a hard-fought six-game series that year, the franchise made the unexpected decision to part ways with Thibodeau.

Knicks owner James Dolan acknowledged Thibodeau’s foundational contributions to the current roster in an interview earlier this year. “The team is really built on the shoulders of Tom Thibodeau. He built that core,” Dolan said. “We went as far as we did last year. So you really got to take your hat off to Tom, and the job that he did.” Dolan also explained that the organization sought a new direction, aiming to move beyond “old traditional coaching formulas,” a transition that did not align with Thibodeau’s approach.

Mike Brown succeeded Thibodeau as head coach and led the Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973. Despite not being present for the culmination of the team’s long-awaited title run, Gibson emphasized that Thibodeau’s legacy within the organization remains intact. “To have that humility and just knowing that you trained these players and have put so much into them, and to know that they finally made that final leap to really take the top and go to the championship of New York City,” Gibson said, describing the coach’s enduring connection to the Knicks’ success.