NBA News Update: Tom Thibodeau talks about New York Knicks' new identity, two superstars missing in the Golden State Warriors' minicamp
Tom Thibodeau was appointed as the head coach of the New York Knicks in July 2020, and the Knicks had their first team practice session with their new coach on Wednesday. After spending some time with the team, Tom Thibodeau talked about the initial impression the squad has left on him and discussed his vision for the future of the franchise. In this article, we'll take a look at Tom's comments along with other NBA news updates.
NBA News Update: Tom Thibodeau excited about the future with the New York Knicks
The New York Knicks were not invited to the 2020 Orlando bubble. As a result of this, the new head coach never had an opportunity to interact with his team's players until now. When asked about what the new identity and playing style of his team will be, Tom said:
"The foundation will be the defense, rebounding, low turnovers and sharing the ball."
The former Minnesota Timberwolves coach also stressed on the importance of getting easy buckets on the offense and creating as many corner threes as possible.
The New York Knicks drafted RJ Barrett with their No. 3 pick in last year's NBA Draft. In his rookie season, Barrett averaged 14.3 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Tom Thibodeau was full of praise for the 20-year-old and was excited about Barrett's future.
The New York Knicks also hired Kenny Payne as their assistant coach and Johnnie Bryant as their associate head coach recently. Tom spoke highly of his supporting staff and expressed his desire to get to know them better in the upcoming days.
The New York Knicks finished in 12th place this season and they haven't made the playoffs since 2013. They'll be looking to turn their fortunes around under the leadership of Tom Thibodeau.
NBA News Update: Steph Curry and Draymond Green not a part of Warriors' minicamp
The Golden State Warriors recently began practicing in a 'bubble' of their own with their head coach Steve Kerr. According to the latest NBA news update, their star players Steph Curry and Draymond Green were not a part of the voluntary minicamp.
However, five-time All-Star Klay Thompson and 23-year-old Eric Paschall will soon be joining the team once they finish their quarantine. Coach Steve Kerr wasn't concerned about the absence of Steph and Draymond and was excited about Klay Thompson returning to action after missing the entire 2019-20 NBA season.
Also read: NBA News Update: Players show frustration over Breonna Taylor verdict on Twitter, Jeanie Buss shares Phil Jackson's message ahead of Game 4