The New York Knickerbockers have been stuck in the gutter for years now. Like a revolving door of coaches, players, and front-office personnel, the Knicks haven’t really found any long-term stability.
But with this newest chapter comes a renewed sense of optimism, especially after their most recent hire. The renowned and revered Tom Thibodeau has been named the new coach, and there is some serious belief that he can begin turning things around.
Jimmy Butler recently chimed on to give some high praise to his former coach, making a rather bold claim about his tenure to come:
“He’s going to do great. He’s going to turn those young guys into some real players; some superstars, some All-Stars,” Jimmy Butler said about new Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, via ESPN.
“I know he’s been itching for this. I know he’s been preparing for it. When you talk about Thibs and the big stage I think they go hand in hand.”
The Knicks could use a guy like Thibs. He’s a hard-nosed, no-nonsense type of guy, but is also notorious for having a good relationship with his players.
He can help instill the young Knicks with a Championship mentality as he also builds up their defense — an area Thibs is best at.
As for Butler’s claim that he will turn the kids into “superstars,” well, that much remains to be seen. If the Knicks are to go anywhere, they’ll need to start at the top. They need to bring in the right players and keep the ones worth keeping. Thib’s presence might even help them bring in Butler at some point.
Either way, it will be interesting to see how they embark on this new era.
