The Knicks are in the market for a new coach, and Ime is on their radar.
After losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New Yori Knicks dismissed coach Tom Thibodeau.
During his five years as head coach, Thibodeau guided the Knicks to the postseason four times. In a statement, Knicks president Leon Rose stated:
“Winning a championship for our fans is our organization’s sole focus. We’ve made the tough choice to let Tom Thibodeau know that we’ve changed our course as a result of this pursuit. We are incredibly grateful to Tom for giving his all every day as the head coach of the New York Knicks. Over the previous five seasons, he not only guided us with poise and professionalism, but he also had great success on the court, leading us to four postseason berths and four playoff series wins.”
Reports state that the Knicks now have interest in Rockets coach Ime Udoka. In his first season in Boston, Udoka guided the Celtics to the NBA Finals before they were defeated by the Warriors in six games. However, he was suspended and later fired for an alleged inappropriate contact with a female employee, thus, his time with the Celtics was short.
Throughout his two seasons as head coach, he has guided the Rockets to an incredible turnaround. Before losing to the Warriors in the opening round of the playoffs, they finished second in the Western Conference with a 52-30 record this season. In his first season with the team, the Rockets finished 41-41.
Some saw Udoka, who just finished a stellar second season leading the Houston Rockets, as a viable candidate for the coaching position the Knicks had open after Tom Thibodeau was fired on Tuesday. Kelly Iko of The Athletic dispelled the notion that Udoka would replace Thibodeau just over 24 hours after the Knicks confirmed the information that ESPN’s Shams Charania had initially published.
“Regarding reports identifying Ime Udoka as a possible target for the vacant Knicks coaching position, [Houston] has no interest in entertaining that,” Iko stated on Wednesday. “Both parties are committed to the long-term project and are actively preparing for a busy offseason.”
Regarding reports identifying Ime Udoka as a possible target for the vacant Knicks coaching position, HOU has no interest in entertaining that, a team source told @TheAthletic. Both parties are committed to the longterm project and are actively preparing for a busy offseason.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) June 4, 2025
Many are excited by the potential of Houston’s young squad, which includes Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson, even though the team lost a seven-game set to the Golden State Warriors in the first round. Thankfully, Udoka will be present for the exciting process as Houston is anticipated to enter the talks for high-profile acquisitions this offseason.