Minnesota head coach Tom Thibodeau is looking to mold his young group into a playoff-caliber team (Getty)
Ridde me this: Will Tom Thibodeau coach the New York Knicks?
Thibs has a supporter in one of his former players, CJ Watson.
“I love Tom Thibodeau as a coach,” Watson told me on today’s episode of the Scoop B Radio Podcast while promoting his new children’s book titled, “CJ’s Big Project.”
Watson played for Thibs as a member of the Chicago Bulls from 2010-2012. Watson started for the Bulls in 2012 after Derrick Rose tore his ACL in his left knee in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Bulls would lose in round one of that playoff series against Philly and Watson averaged 7.3 points.
A retired NBA vet out of Tennessee, Watson also had NBA stops with the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers and is in agreement with others who want to see Thibs become the next head coach of the New York Knicks.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 20: C.J. Watson #1 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates after hitting a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 20, 2013 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
On a #WORDSWITHSCOOP Presented by Orox Leather Instagram Live Chat, former Knicks and Bulls guard, Nate Robinson shared that he liked to see Thibs guide the Knicks too. “Coach Thibbs is one of the dopest coaches I’ve ever played for,” Robinson, a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion told me.
“But he’s a good dude man and he was really hard on us especially hard on me. But he was hard on a lot of players especially the ones that he really believed in. It took me a while to understand that and he gave me opportunities so, I have nothing bad to say about the man. He’s been awesome.”
CJ Watson agrees. “Like Nate said, I think I played some of my best basketball under Thibbs,” he told Scoop B Radio.
“He holds every person accountable. Every player from number one to fifteen. He wants the best for his team and he has his team competing every game, every playoff series… I think he’s the perfect coach. I think he might be better suited for the Knicks, I’m not sure. I know he used to work there and maybe he knows that system and their organization so I think he might be better suited for that team.”
During his NBA coaching career with both the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tom Thibodeau has compiled a record of 352 wins and 246 losses.
NBA Hall of Famer and current Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach, Jason Kidd recently interviewed for the Knicks head coaching gig. So has former Brooklyn Nets head coach, Kenny Atkinson.
The New York Knicks currently sit in 12th place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standing with a 21-45 record. The team does have young studs on their team in rookie, RJ Barrett and big men Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson.