Karl-Anthony Towns praises Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau, calling him ‘a great coach’ | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns had high praise for his old coach, who is now his new coach.

“You know what I respected, so much about (Tom Thibodeau) is that he wanted to win,” Towns told Shannon Sharpe on television. Club Shay Shay podcast. “And he put in the hours and he put in the work. Playing for Thibs was just watching someone who really loves what he does and puts all his passion and life mission into being the best coach he can be.”

Towns added that his admiration for Thibodeau has grown as he has gotten older and that the leader of the Knicks sideline is “a great coach.”

New York reunited KAT with Thibs in the biggest blockbuster trade of the offseason. Towns’ comments to Sharpe point to why the front office believed the partnership could work better than it did in Minneapolis.

Thibodeau’s tenure dramatically unraveled in mid-2018-19 thanks to the Jimmy Butler saga. Larger rifts opened up among the players who stuck around, including Towns, after Butler was traded, necessitating the ouster of Thibs after 40 games.

Towns previously said that he and Thibodeau recently spoke in October 2023 and that they “quashed” any lingering ill will toward each other.

“I still consider Thibs one of the best X’s and O’s coaches I have had the opportunity to play for,” the four-time All-Star told reporters. “He breathes winning and I have nothing but respect for him.”

In more ways than one, Towns will have to join the Knicks. Thibodeau has a clearly defined identity as a coach, an identity that demands a lot from his players. Jalen Brunson symbolizes that style and is the star around which New York builds its future.

Even after the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert and saw Anthony Edwards emerge as an All-NBA talent, they still felt like KAT’s team thanks to his seniority and past performance. Now he will have to adjust to a slightly smaller role in the Big Apple.

And he better get used to the idea of ​​playing 35 minutes a night.