NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony Gets Honest on Controversial Knicks Firing

Former New York Knick and Denver Nuggets legend Carmelon Anthony spoke about Tom Thibodeau's firing

Nov 20, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau with guard Jalen Brunson (11) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A decade ago, it would have seemed impossible for a coach to get fired after they took their team to its first Conference Finals in over two decades.

Yet, somehow, that happened to New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. If the 2025 NBA season has taught anyone anything, it's that no coaching job is safe.

While NBA legend Carmelo Anthony has never played for Thibodeau directly, he is a New York Knicks legend and had some thoughts on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast about his firing. In Carmelo's first thoughts, he exclaimed that the firing isn't something that just happened overnight.

“No, and I say that meaning everybody else thinks that that just happened overnight," Carmelo said. "That ain't just happened overnight. That's been the part of the conversation behind the scenes going on…[Thibs] was under a microscope for a period of time. So it didn't just happen…Thibs is an unbelievable coach. One of the greatest basketball minds that this game has ever seen..."

Carmelo went on to add that a big issue with Thibodeau was that he didn't play his bench players enough.

"What adjustments are you going to make to get it over the hump to get us over the hump? Your bench is a major issue but everybody knows that," Carmelo added. "It ain't like this just happened. His bench has always been a major issue. He'd only play six, seven guys. He's a loyal guy. He's playing with who he's loyal to… Let's be frank, the Knicks need a bench…I'm not saying that he don't have guys on the bench that can play. Should guys play more? Yes. Cool."

May 29, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game five of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

For as much as Carmelo claims that Thibodeau's firing didn't happen overnight, it certainly feels that way since the organization had no plan B after firing him.

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