Tom Thibodeau is known for pushing perfection to the extreme, but Joakim Noah insists that description barely scratches the surface. According to the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year, Thibodeau was so unreasonably demanding that he forced the Chicago Bulls to practice for four hours right after landing on a plane to Brazil.
“I was so hyped and then we got to Flamengo, then Thibs wants to do a practice off a plane,” a visibly pissed-off Noah said on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast. “He f-cked it all up, that whole thing. Thibs f-cked up that whole trip.”
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“Thibs, man. Honestly, ridiculous. I don’t even wanna talk (about it). It’s making me mad just talking about it,” added Noah.
The question was about a place where Noah would have wanted to play an NBA game, so it was supposed to be a feel-good banter. However, Thibodeau’s unyielding ways messed the whole vibe so badly that Noah was still irritated 10 years later. What was meant to be a lighthearted memory turned into a reminder of just how draining Thibodeau’s methods could be.
Thibs’ reputation precedes him
Thibodeau’s coaching pedigree is undeniable. He won Coach of the Year twice and was credited for taking the Bulls to their first Eastern Conference finals trip since the Michael Jordan era. Just recently, Thibs guided the New York Knicks to the franchise’s first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 26 years!
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However, the same intensity that made Thibodeau successful also came with a heavy price. His players often broke down under the constant grind. Noah himself was never the same after battling through the 2015-16 season, while his Bulls teammates, Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, gave in after years of logging heavy minutes.
Critics have long pointed to Thibodeau’s refusal to manage workloads. He tried to justify his methods, but the fact of the matter is, even Mikal Bridges implored him to cut the starters’ minutes and use more of the bench at one point in the playoffs.
That stubborn streak may have caught up with him again in New York, where reports suggest it played a role in his dismissal even after the Knicks came within two wins of reaching the 2025 NBA Finals.
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Basketball nerd and a workaholic
Of course, Thibs’ approach did not come with ill intent; in fact, it was the opposite. He wanted to win so much that he always felt the prime opportunity was to field the best team possible.
Moreover, Thibodeau is the very definition of a basketball nerd and a workaholic. He works around the clock, so he likely expects his players to do the same.
“He just puts in a lot of work, tries to give you no excuses not to know anything,” former Knick and current OKC Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein said. “Just seeing him in the office that long, I think you don’t have any excuse not to work. From that standpoint, yeah, it’s a privilege to have someone — it kind of makes you want to play harder knowing that he’s putting in that much work.”
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“Whenever you go into the gym, it doesn’t matter what time — it could be early, could be late at night. His office looks out to the court. And you could see his light on,” Hartenstein added.
Thibodeau’s intensity may not have always been easy to take, but it came from a place of total commitment to the game. Players didn’t always love the grind, yet they understood the standard he was trying to uphold.
Even Noah’s frustration is, in a way, proof of the duality of Thibs’ impact. To some, he’s the mastermind who squeezes every drop of effort from his team; to others, he’s the reason there was nothing left to give.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.