Tom Thibodeau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tom Thibodeau

Thibodeau as head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 2011
Personal information
Born	(1958-01-17) January 17, 1958 (age 67) New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.
High school	New Britain (New Britain, Connecticut)
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Career information
College	Salem State (1977–1981)
Coaching career	1981–present
League	NBA
Career history
As coach:
1981–1984	Salem State (assistant)
1984–1985	Salem State
1985–1989	Harvard (assistant)
1989–1991	Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant)
1992–1994	San Antonio Spurs (assistant)
1994–1996	Philadelphia 76ers (assistant)
1996–2003	New York Knicks (assistant)
2003–2007	Houston Rockets (assistant)
2007–2010	Boston Celtics (associate HC)
2010–2015	Chicago Bulls
2016–2019	Minnesota Timberwolves
2020–2025	New York Knicks
Career highlights and awards
As head coach: 2× NBA Coach of the Year (2011, 2021) NBA All-Star Game head coach (2012) As assistant coach: NBA champion (2008)

Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. (born January 17, 1958), often called "Thibs", is an American basketball coach. He was most recently the head coach for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Thibodeau is known for being a great defensive coach. He helped teams like the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics have some of the best defenses in the league. With the Celtics, he won an NBA championship in 2008 as an assistant coach.

In 2010, he became the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year that season. He also coached the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2016 to 2019. From 2020 to 2025, he was the head coach for the New York Knicks. He won the Coach of the Year award again in 2021 with the Knicks. In 2025, he led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, but he was fired at the end of the season. He has been part of 214 playoff games as a coach.

Early Life and College Basketball

Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. was born on January 17, 1958, in New Britain, Connecticut. He went to New Britain High School, where he was a talented basketball player.

After high school, Thibodeau played basketball at Salem State College. He was the team captain during his final season in 1980–81. He helped Salem State reach the national tournaments in 1980 and 1981. In 1980, his team won the league championship.

Coaching Journey Begins

Starting at Salem State (1981–1985)

After graduating from college, Thibodeau became an assistant coach at Salem State in 1981. At just 25 years old, he became the head coach there in 1984. He coached the team for one season.

Moving to Harvard (1985–1989)

The next year, he became an assistant coach at Harvard University. He stayed there for four seasons. While coaching in college, Thibodeau learned from many top coaches. He visited their practices and attended coaching clinics.

First NBA Roles (1989–1996)

In 1989, Thibodeau joined the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started as an assistant coach for the new Minnesota Timberwolves team. After two years, he became an advance scout for the Seattle SuperSonics.

He then moved to the San Antonio Spurs in 1992 as an assistant coach for two seasons. After that, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers as an assistant coach from 1994 to 1996.

New York Knicks Assistant (1996–2003)

In 1996, Thibodeau became an assistant coach for the New York Knicks. He worked under head coach Jeff Van Gundy. Van Gundy later said that Thibodeau was the best coach on his staff.

During his time with the Knicks, Thibodeau helped the team achieve a record. They held 33 opponents in a row to under 100 points in the 2000–01 season. He spent seven years as an assistant coach with the Knicks.

Houston Rockets Assistant (2003–2007)

Thibodeau joined the Houston Rockets in 2003, again as an assistant coach for Jeff Van Gundy. Van Gundy called Thibodeau "brilliant."

Boston Celtics Success (2007–2010)

Thibodeau (right) as part of the Boston Celtics coaching staff

On August 30, 2007, Thibodeau became the associate head coach for the Boston Celtics. His job was to make their defense stronger. He helped the Celtics become the best defensive team in the league.

In 2008, Thibodeau helped the Celtics win the 2008 NBA Finals. This was his first NBA Championship. He was a key part of their success.

Becoming a Head Coach

Chicago Bulls (2010–2015)

On June 23, 2010, Tom Thibodeau was named the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. In his first season, he led the Bulls to 62 wins. This tied the record for the most wins by a rookie head coach. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year on May 1, 2011. The Bulls reached the Eastern Conference finals that year.

In 2012, Thibodeau became the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 100 career victories. He did it in just 130 games. The Bulls had the best record in the league that season. However, their star player, Derrick Rose, got injured in the playoffs. The Bulls lost in the first round.

Rose missed the entire 2012–13 season due to injury. Despite this, Thibodeau led the Bulls to a strong record. They won their first-round playoff series before losing to the Miami Heat. Thibodeau continued to lead the Bulls for two more seasons. He left the team in May 2015.

Coaching for Team USA (2013–2016)

Thibodeau was also an assistant coach for the United States men's national basketball team from 2013 to 2016. He helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain. Two years later, he helped the U.S. team win another gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Thibodeau highly. He said, "Tom is one of the great coaches on this planet."

Minnesota Timberwolves (2016–2019)

On April 20, 2016, Thibodeau was hired as the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves had not made the playoffs in 12 years. In his second season, Thibodeau led them to their first playoff appearance in 14 years. They lost in the first round of the 2018 playoffs. Thibodeau left the Timberwolves in January 2019.

New York Knicks (2020–2025)

On July 30, 2020, the New York Knicks hired Thibodeau as their head coach. In his first season, 2020–21, he led the Knicks to their first playoff appearance since 2013. After that season, Thibodeau won the Coach of the Year award for the second time.

He was praised for bringing the Knicks back to being a strong playoff team. In 2025, he led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. They even beat the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, in the semifinals. However, Thibodeau was fired on June 3, 2025, after the season ended.

Coaching Style and Player Development

Thibodeau is known for his intense focus and attention to detail. He is often compared to successful football coach Bill Belichick. Coaches and players say he is very organized and plans everything carefully.

He is highly respected as a defensive expert in the NBA. His defensive system has been called "the best team defensive strategy in the NBA." However, he is also good at offense and helping players improve.

Many players have praised Thibodeau for helping them get better. Kevin Garnett, who played for him, said Thibodeau "loves his job" and works with "passion." Even Kobe Bryant said Thibodeau was "crucial" to his development when he was young.

Thibodeau also worked closely with Yao Ming when he was an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets. He helped Yao improve his skills, and Yao's scoring and rebounding numbers went up significantly after working with Thibodeau. Players like Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose also said they improved a lot because of him. Rose said, "He’s the first coach up here that I felt like loved me unconditionally."

Personal Life

Tom Thibodeau was born in New Britain, Connecticut. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Salem State University. In 1998, he was honored by being inducted into the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame.

Thibodeau has never been married. He is known for being extremely dedicated to basketball, which has been a major focus of his life.

Images for kids

• 

  Thibodeau (left) as part of the Houston Rockets coaching staff with then head coach Jeff Van Gundy

• 

  left to right: Jim Boeheim, Monty Williams, and Thibodeau served as assistant coaches for the 2014 United States FIBA World Cup team.

See also

In Spanish: Tom Thibodeau para niños