Former NBA guard Jeff Teague explained Tom Thibodeau’s coaching style and addressed misconceptions that he’s difficult to play for after the Knicks fired their head coach Tuesday.
During the latest installment of his “Club 520” podcast, Teague mimicked Thibodeau while he discussed playing under him in Minnesota from 2017-19, when Thibodeau was the Timberwolves’ head coach and team president.
“Thibs has got a way of like letting you be you,” Teague said. “Everbody thinks Thibs is this hard coach to play for, that he’s like, ‘Ahh, you got to do it this way.’
“He really don’t say s–t …. He don’t be like, ‘Teague go here’ or ‘Do this.’
“He don’t really be coaching you, he just kind of be like, ‘Damn!’ Dammit man! Damn!’ That’s all he say … You can shoot any time. You can run anything.”
Teague’s cohosts DJ Wells (Darren Wells), and Bishop B. Henn laughed over his impression of Thibodeau.
The Timberwolves fired Thibodeau in January 2019 after he led Minnesota to the franchise’s first playoff appearance in 14 years during the 2017-18 season.
He posted a 97-107 record with the franchise.
Teague — a first-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft who retired after winning a championship with the Bucks in 2021 — explained that Thibodeau, who’s known for his defensive prowess, is stuck in his ways.
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“Thibs that’s my dawg, I love him to death, but he doesn’t let anybody do anything [on the coaching staff] … those [other] coaches can leave,” Teague said.
“… He definitely needs to let somebody run the offense. There are some young creative minds on that bench. I know a people who can see the game in a different way. He should just use them sometimes. But he calls every play … I don’t think he should’ve been fired but he definitely needs offense.”
The Knicks fired their head coach three days after they were ousted from the Eastern Conference finals in six games by the rival Indiana Pacers.
It was the Knicks’ first conference finals appearance in 25 years.
Thibodeau — who signed a three-year extension with the Knicks last summer — led the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since 1995.
He has a 48-55 playoff record as a head coach.