Pacers’ Rick Carlisle thought Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau was ‘fake AI thing’

Many people were shocked to see the New York Knicks part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau after the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Perhaps the person most affected by the move was Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.

Carlisle played perhaps the most significant factor in Thibodeau being let go, thoroughly outcoaching him in the eyes of many, as the Pacers eliminated the Knicks in six games.

Despite outmatching Thibodeau’s Knicks, Carlisle has quite a bit of respect for Thibodeau. So much so that he initially believed the news of Thibs being fired by the Knicks was fake news generated by AI.

“What happened yesterday… When I first saw it, I thought it was one of those fake AI things,” said Carlisle during a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the 2025 NBA Finals. “You know, no way, no way (this is ) possible. And I know how the players feel about him too. So yeah, there is not much else to say.

“Teams and ownership can make these decisions unilaterally. And it’s their right to do that. Tom will certainly be fine. I don’t think he is going to have any problems finding his next job. It’s just gonna depend on when he is willing to jump back in again. But I have great respect for Thibs. I go back with him a very long way. I was surprised.”

To be fair to Carlisle, it was initially a fake story that Thibodeau had been let go by the Knicks, courtesy of the infamous NBA Centel X account before it was reported for real a day later by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Early on, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant and even former Villanova head coach turned CBS college basketball studio analyst Jay Wright have emerged as potential candidates to replace Thibodeau. Whoever ends up landing the Knicks coaching job will have their work cut out for them to come anywhere close to Thibodeau’s level of impact in Rick Carlisle’s eyes.