The two-time NBA Coach of the Year, and one-time NBA All-Star Game head coach, Tom Thibodeau’s resume is nothing short of incredible.
It all started back in 1981 when he joined Salem State College, playing for four seasons of colligate basketball and then transitioning into coaching.
He coached at Salem for three seasons, and let’s just say it put him on the map and played a massive role in his eventual coaching career.
His current team, the New York Knicks, clinched a playoff spot on April 2, 2023, after missing the playoffs in the previous season
The Knicks are down 3-1 as they return to MSG for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Now, it all depends on how Tom plays his guys on the floor.
Let’s Explore!!
Facts About Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr.
| Full Name | Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. |
| Known As | Tom Thibodeau |
| Nickname | Tom |
| Birthdate | January 17, 1958 |
| Age | 65 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Maine, United States |
| Current Residence | New York, United States |
| Father | Thomas J. Thibodeau Sr. |
| Mother | Ann M. (Montanile) Thibodeau |
| Siblings | Dennis Thibodeau, Janet Thibodeau, Nancy Thibodeau, David Thibodeau |
| Nationality | American |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Children | None |
| Built | Large |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in/1.88 m/188 cm |
| Weight | Not Available |
| Ethnicity | White American |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Religion | Not Available |
| Profession | Basketball Coach |
| Education | New Britain High School, Salem State College |
| Association | New York Knicks |
| Active Career | 1981-Present |
| Played For | Salem State College |
| Net Worth | $12 Million |
| Salary | Approx. $4 Million |
| Social Media | Not Active |
| Last Update | May 2023 |
Early Life And Education
Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr., nicknamed Thibs, the current head coach of the Knicks in the Big Apple, was born on January 17, 1958, in Maine. Quite a gentleman, Thomas J. Thibodeau Sr. passed his passion for basketball to his son Tom Jr.
He’d even put up a small basket in their basement before putting a regulation backboard in the family garage.
He worked six days a week as a purchasing agent for a steel company, and his bride, Ann M. (Montanile) Thibodeau, Tom Jr.’s mother, worked for the state.
They grew their five children, Tom’s two sisters and two younger brothers, in Connecticut.
Tom Sr. had five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild when he died on Christmas Day, 2013. It was the same day his son coached the Chicago Bulls to an early-afternoon victory in Brooklyn before heading home to grieve.
Tom Sr. and Ann had great voices and were part of the church’s choir. They even persuaded Tom Jr. to sing Christmas carols with them.
Education
During his time there, he helped Salem to consecutive Division III national tournaments. Similarly, in 1980, he helped the school to the league championship and the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid.
He graduated from Salem with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in counseling degrees.
Career
After graduation from college, Thibodeau became an assistant coach at Salem in 1981.
He served the position for three years before finally being promoted to the head coach position in 1984.
After a season, he was hired as an assistant coach at Harvard University, where he spent four seasons.
In 1989, Thibodeau entered NBA as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, before the 1991-92 season, he joined the Seattle SuperSonics as an advance scout.
The following season he moved to the Spurs and worked as an assistant coach for two seasons under Rex Hughes, John Lucas, and Jerry Tarkanian.
He then moved to the 76ers and then to the Knicks as an assistant under head coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Thibodeau was named associate head coach of the Celtics on August 30, 2007, head coach of the Bulls on June 23, 2010, and assistant coach for the 2013-16 US men’s national basketball team on June 10, 2013.
He joined Minnesota Timberwolves as a head coach and president of basketball operations on April 20, 2016.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks announced Thibodeau as their 26th head coach on July 30, 2020.
He led the team to their first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 season in the shortened 2020-21 season, earning his second Coach of the Year award.
As of 2023, he is in the midst of his third season coaching the Knicks.
While he has built a lengthy coaching career, he has developed a negative reputation for reportedly clashing with players.
We cannot argue about what he has contributed to the team or how he plays his guys, but we are sure that he is ever ready to go the extra mile if it is for winning a championship.
However, this dream of his seems to be boiling the ocean.
The Knicks are one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs.
Net Worth
The Knick’s head coach Tom Thibodeau has a net worth of $12 million as of May 2023. Being the head coach of one of the most valuable NBA teams indeed earns you significant money.
Besides, Tom has been around the NBA for quite some time and has coached some of the most known teams in the league, from which we are pretty sure he has bagged quite a money.
On October 2012, Tom signed a four-year, $17.5 million contract with the Chicago Bulls.
This contract paid him an average annual salary of $4.3 million.
Similarly, on July 2020, he signed a five-year contract with the Knicks. However, the financial arrangements of this deal have not been revealed.
Personal Life
The 65 year-old head coach Tom has never been married.
According to the New York Times, He was once engaged while he was studying at Salem State but eventually called it off.
Nothing more than this is known about Thibodeau’s personal life.
He does have a close relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach Doc Rivers.
Their relationship goes back decades, and they won the championship together in Boston when Tom was an assistant to Rivers.
Highlight & Awards
Tom Thibodeau has spent decades in NBA, earning some notable accolades. Here are some of them,
- NBA champion (2008)
- 2× NBA Coach of the Year (2011, 2021)
- NBA All-Star Game head coach (2012)
Interesting Facts
- Tom led the Boston Celtics to the best rating in several defensive categories in 2007–08 and was a key factor in containing Kobe during the 2008 Finals.
- During his time with the Bulls, with a win over the Magic on March 19, 2012, he became the fastest coach in the history of the NBA to earn 100 career victories.
- Tom was released from the Timberwolves in January 2019 after a period of regression following the end of the playoff drought.
