Miles McBride won't forget what Tom Thibodeau did for the Knicks.
New York Knicks' head coach Mike Brown has grabbed headlines in the past few months after leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship in over 50 years in just his first season at the helm of the team, impressing the media world with his basketball acumen, his humility in regard to his players and his goofy antics and personality.
But for all of the good that Brown did for the team, he inherited a talented squad that had all of the capabilities of being champions already. He was imply the last piece of the puzzle to take them over the edge and into playoff glory. His predecessor, the man whom Brown took over for, laid a lot of the ground work for the team that the Knicks would grow to become.
That man was Tom Thibodeau, who coached the Knicks from 2020-25 and finished his time with the team with a 226-174 record with the team, was instrumental in building the Knicks into what they were ultimately going to become.
Thibodeau was ultimately fired after the 2024-25 season largely because for all of the success that he brought to the team, he was unable to get them over the hump of the playoffs, making it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals once in his five seasons.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game five of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesWhat Ended Thibodeau's Time In New York
That single Eastern Conference Finals appearance, which came against the Indiana Pacers in the final season of his tenure with the team, was ultimately the nail in the coffin for Thibodeau when it ended in a massive upset defeat against the Pacers, but just because he wasn't able to take the Knicks all the way doesn't mean that his contributions to the team should be forgotten.
His former players certainly haven't forgotten his impact. Miles McBride, who mad his NBA debut with the Knicks one season after Thibodeau signed on as the head coach, gave Thibodeau a lot of credit in a recent interview on "The Crew Has It" podcast.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau watches play downcourt during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images"Thibs did a great job; he built a great foundation," McBride said.
Building A Foundation
McBride would know more than most of just how pivotal Thibodeau was at returning winning to the Knicks' culture and the numbers back up his support of his former skipper as well.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau talks to center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Josh Hart (3) and forward OG Anunoby (8) during a time out during the third quarter of game six in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThe Knicks had missed the playoffs for seven-straight seasons before Thibodeau arrived, then made it as far as the Eastern Conference Semifinals in his first season with the team and made the playoffs in four of his five seasons with the team.
That kind of impact can't be denied and even if he wasn't the one to take the Knicks to the promised land in the end, his fingerprints were all over the Knicks' historic championship run.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown speaks to the media after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
