Charles Barkley Rips Knicks for Messy Coaching Search After Firing Tom Thibodeau

Barkley called the Knicks the "stupidest damn people in the world" before Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Barkley blasted the Knicks before Game 3 / NBA T

The New York Knicks have demanded plenty of attention during these NBA Finals despite getting eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the last round of the postseason.

The Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau days after they lost Game 6, and have since embarked on what can definitely be called a wide-ranging coaching search; New York has asked, and been denied, permission to interview numerous coaches around the league currently under contract.

It has left the organization open to plenty of criticism, and Charles Barkley laid into the Knicks on Wednesday ahead of Game 3. Appearing on NBA TV to opine on the NBA Finals, despite Inside The NBA's season ending in the conference finals, Barkley bashed the Knicks for not appearing to have much of plan after firing the very successful Thibodeau.

"The Knicks gotta be the stupidest damn people in the world," Barkley said. "You don't fire no good coach like that and don't have a plan. Thibs did a hell of a job. Obviously something's going on there. You don't have a plan? Now three coaches turn you down. You got to have a plan, man. They don't have a plan. Now, I mean, I don't know what the hell they're going to do!"

“The Knicks gotta be the stupidest damn people in the world.”

— Charles Barkley. 🤣

(h/t @ClutchPoints)

pic.twitter.com/RlIVBkAPO1

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 12, 2025

A scathing segment. And as Barkley was speaking, another coach was added to the list, with the Chicago Bulls reportedly denying the Knicks permission to speak to Billy Donovan.

The Knicks' search for a new head coach after ditching Thibodeau despite their best season in decades was always going to be closely watched. So far, it seems the public is not impressed.

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