Rick Carlisle Hilariously Described His First Reaction to the Tom Thibodeau Firing

Carlisle had a great answer when asked about his first reaction to the Thibodeau firing report.

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle hilariously described his initial reaction to Tom Thibodeau's firing. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was asked at NBA Finals media availability about the New York Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday.

Carlisle was as surprised as everyone else, and his initial reaction to the news was incredibly relatable in today's media climate.

"When I first saw it, it came over one of the...I thought it was one of those fake AI things," Carlisle said.

Carlisle on Thibs' firing:

"I thought it was one of those fake AI things" pic.twitter.com/Qqa4WBafUw

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 4, 2025

Carlisle thinking it was a fake internet meme sums up the NBA's world's reaction to Thibodeau's firing perfectly. After all, Thibodeau posted New York's first back-to-back 50-win seasons since the 1990s and took the Knicks to their first conference finals appearance in 25 years.

Ultimately, restoring the Knicks' place in modern day basketball relevance wasn't enough for Thibodeau to keep his job, and now New York is on to a coaching search for a job that should have no shortage of candidates.

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