Former NBA star Derrick Rose has a strong relationship with Tom Thibodeau, considering he played for the former New York Knicks head coach in three different cities. And that, of course, means someone had to ask him about the firing.
Speaking at a NASCAR Chicago event on Sunday, a reporter asked Rose about his reaction to New York's decision to can Thibs in early June, despite the team having just made its first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years. And Rose weighed in quite diplomatically.
"I talked to Thibs after and he's good," Rose told reporters. "You can't be mad when you're walking away with $30 million. You can't be too sorry for him. But he's in good spirits and yeah, that's my guy. We locked in till the end. But he's good. Jalen [Brunson]'s still in New York, he's gonna be ballin', so everybody wins, I feel like."
Former NBA MVP and #NASCARChicago grand marshal Derrick Rose was asked today about his reaction to the Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau. The two had a long relationship and Rose played on his Knicks teams at the end of his career.
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) July 6, 2025
Says Thibs is in good spirits and "you can't be mad… pic.twitter.com/vhnTuuMytb
Good point—it's hard to stay sad for too long when you've got a $30 million check coming your way. Plus, Thibs could still eventually get scooped up by another team, given his work ethic and league pedigree.
Rose and Thibs were together on the Chicago Bulls, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and, most recently, the Knicks from 2021-23. Rose later retired from the league in September 2024 after one season with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Knicks, meanwhile, closed their coaching vacancy last week, when it was revealed they were finalizing a deal with former Sacramento Kings HC Mike Brown.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Derrick Rose Weighs in on Knicks' Decision to Fire Former Coach Tom Thibodeau.
