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Derrick Rose’s agent B.J. Armstrong supports Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks candidacy
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B.J. Armstrong, former Bulls guard and current agent for Derrick Rose, has been in awe of how well Tom Thibodeau got along with his client. Rose became the league’s youngest MVP at age 22 under Thibodeau’s watch in 2011. Then Rose followed the coach from Chicago to Minnesota. Armstrong calls it “a beautiful relationship.’’ The …
B.J. Armstrong, former Bulls guard and current agent for Derrick Rose, has been in awe of how well Tom Thibodeau got along with his client.
Rose became the league’s youngest MVP at age 22 under Thibodeau’s watch in 2011. Then Rose followed the coach from Chicago to Minnesota. Armstrong calls it “a beautiful relationship.’’
The factors that built their strong connection is why Armstrong believes he needs to return to the sidelines to coach the Knicks, who view him as their top candidate.
“I always admired how [Thibodeau] coached,’’ Armstrong told The Post. “He brings the fire and the heat. And most importantly, he’s always prepared for the game. He loves the game. He had an excellent career in this league. He made a life commitment to the game. I’ll be really happy for him [if he gets the job].’’
Thibodeau and the former Knicks point guard were cut from the same cloth, Armstrong said.
“Every now and then, you find someone who matches your personality,’’ said Armstrong, who hosts the “Pushinthru” podcast on which Thibodeau was a recent guest. “Tom and Derrick just hit it off. They’re peas in a pod. They’re basketball junkies. They love the game. They both love to compete. They had a unique understanding amongst themselves.
“I’ve seen those two sit there and talk basketball hours on end. Coach Thibodeau loves basketball. There’s no doubt about it. When you meet Derrick, he loves the game. When you put those two together, you just have this chemistry and mutual respect for their passion for basketball.
“Derrick would play basketball all day if he could,’’ Armstrong added. “Coach Thibodeau will watch film and coach the game all day if he could. It’s the most important thing in their lives.’’
Some Thibodeau observers have wondered if he is actually too obsessed with basketball and if the former Knicks assistant coach could use other outlets. Thibodeau never married and has no kids.
But maybe this is exactly what the woebegone Knicks, a clown show for seven non-playoff years, needs.
“Coach Thibs is one of the more exceptional bright minds in this league,’’ Armstrong said. “No doubt about it. He has the respect of a lot of people in this league who he has touched. He’s always been a person whose served his players and fought for his players, and I know he respects his players immensely.’’
Though Thibodeau has been out of work since January 2019 after being fired by the Timberwolves, Armstrong knows he’s not been far from basketball. Indeed, Thibodeau visited several coaches and their team practices this past season. The 62-year-old from New Britain, Conn., also attended the Sloane Conference at MIT to absorb himself in analytics.
“No matter, he’ll find ways to be around the game,’’ Armstrong said. “He watched a couple of games every night and went to visit multiple coaches and teams, and was in close contact with all the coaches. He’s a lifer. Some play or coach as a job. Some of us, it’s what they do regardless of [employment]. He probably spent more time talking the game than when he was coaching. He’s going to talk basketball. Life hasn’t changed much for him.’’
Thibodeau’s head-coaching record stands at 352-246, but still faced criticism after his Minnesota stint ended 18 months ago despite breaking the franchise’s 13-year playoff drought.
Thibodeau had been charged with being out of touch with millennial players while not adhering to new load-management principles. Theories abound that his overplaying Rose caused his ACL injuries. Rose does not think that way, according to his agent.
“It never occurred to us,’’ Armstrong said. “Their track record together speaks for itself. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I get it. That’s the business we’re in. We live in a public life. But they are going to be lifelong friends.’’
When Rose was waived by Utah in 2018, Thibodeau signed him when a roster spot opened.
“As soon as the opportunity arose, he was first in line,’’ Armstrong said.
Rose weaved a productive bounce-back season for Detroit, but has one year left on his pact. If Thibodeau returns to New York, you can never count out Rose returning, too.
“I’ve never questioned [Thibodeau’s] understanding of the game or knowledge of the game and he will always be one of the top coaches in the league as long as the talent is there,’’ Armstrong said.
