The Minnesota Timberwolves’ sudden and unexpected firing of head coach and team president Tom Thibodeau came as a shock to his players.
Karl-Anthony Towns says “no one saw it coming.”
Last week, Karl Anthony Towns told an assistant coach it felt good to have some stability within the franchise. "I jinxed that badly," Towns said Monday.@espn story on the first 24 hours for the Wolves post-Thibodeau: https://t.co/CD1mU9hx4j
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 7, 2019
Thibs was let go following a 108-86 home win.
Per ESPN:
Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said Monday that “no one saw it coming” when asked about the firing of coach and team president Tom Thibodeau the day before.
In fact, Towns said he told assistant coaches just last week that he felt the organization was gaining some much-needed “stability” and that he was finally feeling comfortable within his team’s schemes. “I jinxed that badly,” Towns said Monday, after the Timberwolves (19-21) gathered for their first practice without Thibodeau’s familiar, gravelly voice leading the drills.
CEO Ethan Casson and general manager Scott Layden fired Thibodeau in the coach’s office immediately after the 108-86 home win. Thibodeau, and his former players, were all caught off guard. Towns and Andrew Wiggins were notified of Thibodeau’s firing by phone. Towns said he was not given a clear explanation as to why.
“We had just celebrated a good win, so we all went home thinking the day was over,” Towns said. “It was just beginning.”
