Karl-Anthony Towns made one thing clear after winning the NBA title: Tom Thibodeau deserves plenty of credit for helping lay the foundation.
Winning an NBA championship often brings reflection, and for Karl-Anthony Towns, it also brought gratitude.
Fresh off helping lead the New York Knicks to their first NBA title in more than five decades, Towns looked back on the coaching transition that helped shape the franchise's championship season.
While current head coach Mike Brown guided New York to the championship, Towns made it clear that former coach Tom Thibodeau played a major role in building the team's foundation.
Speaking during an interview with The New York Times, Towns praised both coaches while pushing back on the idea that Thibodeau's departure somehow diminished his impact on the organization.
It was a reminder that championships are often years in the making.
Towns Gives Thibodeau His Due
The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals under Thibodeau before ultimately making the coaching change that brought Brown to New York.
Rather than framing the title as proof the Knicks needed a different voice, Towns credited Thibodeau for helping establish the culture that eventually led to a championship.
Jun 18, 2026; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates with the Larry O'Brien championship trophy and the eastern conference finals trophy during a ceremony at New York City Hall after the championship parade. "Thibs gets a lot of credit for this," Towns said while explaining that Brown built upon the foundation already in place. He also described Thibodeau as "an amazing coach" and "an amazing person," adding that he appreciated seeing the coach's growth from their time together in Minnesota through their reunion in New York.
At the same time, Towns acknowledged Brown's contributions.
According to Towns, Brown found the right player combinations throughout the postseason while maximizing the roster's depth.
He pointed to role players throughout the rotation, saying Brown consistently made the right decisions at the right moments during the Knicks' championship run.
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (R) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien championship trophy while being interviewed by broadcaster Ernie Johnson (L) after game five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.Together, the comments offered a balanced perspective on how New York reached the top of the NBA.
A Championship Built on Teamwork
Towns also reflected on one of the defining moments of the NBA Finals: OG Anunoby's dramatic tip-in that helped swing the series.
The All-Star center revealed he was positioned underneath the basket and planned to finish the play himself if the ball bounced off the rim. Instead, Anunoby crashed in untouched, tipping home what Towns called one of the greatest plays in Knicks history and one of the greatest moments in NBA Finals history.
The sequence perfectly captured what made New York's championship run special.
Rather than relying on one superstar, different players delivered throughout the postseason. Whether it was Jalen Brunson creating offense, Anunoby making a championship-defining hustle play or role players stepping into bigger moments, the Knicks consistently found contributions across the roster.
Towns' willingness to credit others reflects the selfless mentality that defined New York throughout the season.
Championship teams are rarely built by one player or one coach alone. They require years of development, strong leadership and players willing to sacrifice individual recognition for team success.
The Knicks finally reached that level.
As Towns celebrated bringing a championship back to New York, he made sure one important point wasn't forgotten: Brown helped finish the job, but Thibodeau deserves recognition for helping build the foundation that made it possible.
