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Knicks big man Taj Gibson and Mayor Bill de Blasio shared a stage in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday in the blazing sun, wearing masks, preaching a theme of Black Lives Matter and about stopping gun violence. Perhaps soon, Gibson, the Fort Greene native, will share a podium with another leader, Tom Thibodeau, his former coach in …
Knicks big man Taj Gibson and Mayor Bill de Blasio shared a stage in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday in the blazing sun, wearing masks, preaching a theme of Black Lives Matter and about stopping gun violence.
Perhaps soon, Gibson, the Fort Greene native, will share a podium with another leader, Tom Thibodeau, his former coach in Minnesota and Chicago.
Gibson, who has not spoken to the media since the pandemic shut down the season, said he can’t speak to Thibodeau as he has not been hired.
In the past, Gibson has glowed about Thibodeau, defending his stint in Minnesota with passionate words.
“I really don’t want to talk about the coaching situation but I’m sure they will make the right decision,’’ Gibson told The Post. “I’m just focused on what my foundation is doing.”
And that’s a lot. Gibson’s foundation staged Saturday’s event in which hundreds of Brooklynites marched down Fulton Avenue for 30 minutes, and it drew de Blasio’s attention.
“It’s always great when someone remembers where he came from,’’ de Blasio said of Gibson.
During the pandemic, Gibson stayed in New York throughout and his foundation threw a free lunch in April for needy families in his old neighborhood.
“I’ve been able to go to the [Tarrytown] practice facility and before that, I was working out in a gym every day,’’ Gibson said.
Two of his foundation associates insisted Gibson was not permitted to talk about basketball, but when asked if he was disappointed the Knicks did not get invited for the Orlando restart, Gibson said, “Of course. Any competitor type would want to be out there and competing, but we’re not and I’m just working hard in the gym getting ready for next season.’’
Gibson will be a free agent if the Knicks don’t exercise his $9.5 million option. They could decline and still re-sign him, especially if Thibodeau is calling the shots.
But instead of talking about his Knicks’ future, Gibson said he wanted to focus on the future of youths on the streets of Brooklyn.
“This is about young kids losing their lives because of gun violence,’’ Gibson said. “The city’s gun violence rates have gone up. I’m trying to step up in the community and calm the tensions. And we’re going through tough times with the pandemic.’’
With social unrest raging in the country because of George Floyd’s death while in custody of the Minnesota police. Gibson praised the NYPD during his onstage speech.
Gibson made 56 starts at center, posting a career-high 58 percent shooting percentage. He was promoted after the Knicks started 1-7.
His foundation has worked closely for years with Bed-Stuy councilman Robert Cornegy, former St. John’s backup center on the 1984-85 NCAA Final Four team. “He’s a humble hero,’’ Cornegy said.
