Thibs, Towns, Brunson, and a bonafide New York Legend speak before MSG hosts Cleveland.
The New York Knicks took the weekend off after an eventful start to the regular season saw them fumble the rock in Boston on opening night and then destroy the Pacers in the home opener at MSG on Friday night.
The folks gathered at the training facilities on Sunday after spending Saturday at home and were back in the lab cooking ahead of Monday’s reception of the 3-0 Cleveland Cavs.
Here’s what our favorite dudes, from Coach Thibs to John Starks, have said of late.
Tom Thibodeau
On the Cavaliers’ roster building on last year’s success:
“They were very good last year as well. Any team when you have Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, it’s very dynamic. And then, of course, you’re talking about Jarrett Allen and [Evan] Mobley up front. And then they adjust and they got [Dean] Wade, they got [Georges] Niang, they got guys. [Sam] Merrill, who can spread the floor and shoot threes.”
On Cleveland’s offensive strengths and the Knicks’ defensive approach:
“It’s a team that’s very potent offensively. They can play fast, they can bring it down off the dribble and the bigs on the boards, you’re concerned about that. And so you have to be strong in every area.
“You have to finish your defense, you have to finish your offense against them. [They] have shot-blocking—they’re a very good team.”
On the Knicks’ improving on defense following the season-opening debacle:
“There were several sequences in which I thought our defense was really tied together. I thought OG [Anunoby] was really disruptive, his activity was through the roof. I thought Josh’s all-around game was huge for us. Jalen [Brunson’s] Jalen. And then the bench guys are good as well.”
On the importance of trust-building for new players (related to the Deuce-Hukporti clip):
“It’s not only (gaining) my trust, it’s his teammates’ trust. It’s everyone’s trust.
“I think for any player who’s coming into the league, the first thing is to learn how to be a pro and you come in initially, you’re learning a completely different league…
“It starts with practicing well first, then once you do that, it’s taking the next step, which is applying it to game situations. It’s not easy.”
On Towns’ growth and maturity:
“Just the maturity—he’s obviously a lot stronger. I coached him a few years ago—I think all of his experiences have helped him.
“The ups and downs, the playoffs, to go from where they were when he was drafted as the No. 1 player in the draft to having big expectations to the point where they got to the conference finals [last season] and just playing winning basketball. I think those experiences have served him well.”
On how Towns’ mindset has evolved as he’s become a league veteran:
“Sometimes, timing is important, too. I think you can have a player when they’re young in their career, they want to get themselves established first. I think as they mature and get older, they realize it’s very difficult to do individually. You have to do it collectively.
“And I think that’s where most players go. They tend to trend that way.”
On Towns’ skills and his performance within the Knicks’ offense on Friday:
“I thought he had a good mix. He went into the post. He offensive rebounded. He got to the free-throw line. That’s really his skill set.
“He can shoot the three, but he can drive the ball, he can play [with his] back to the basket. He’s a great rebounder. So we are seeing that.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On what having family at Madison Square Garden means to him:
“A lot. A lot. A lot. A lot.”
On his return to New York after spending the first few years of his career in Minny:
“It’s special to be around family more often. My niece and nephew being able to be at more of my games and being able to see them grow up on my off-days. It’s really special. Definitely special to be back home.”
On his personal growth since entering the Association:
“Life has definitely changed for me.
“I’ve grown as a man. I’ve grown as a man not only walking this earth, but a man of faith. Especially on a Sunday that we’re talking, it’s a special feeling to feel that kind of blessing and presence in my life.”
On adapting his free-throw by studying 2K motions:
“I had to play a lot of 2K to get that free-throw style down. You think I’m joking, but that’s where I got it.
“It’s to minimize the impact on my body.”
On the joy of playing near family in NYC:
“It’s an amazing feeling to be with a lot of my family there [at The Garden]. Especially my father.”
Jalen Brunson
On his pre-game music ritual:
“I switch up my music on game day a lot, but no matter what, the last song I have to listen to before I run out on the court is any Justin Bieber song. It’s been that way since college. I had just started playing [for the Villanova Wildcats when his fourth studio album, Purpose, came out in 2015] and my sister told me that I needed to listen to it. It wasn’t the voice that everyone remembered when we were younger; it was a different type of Bieber. I listened to it and liked it. I actually ended up listening to it before a game during the NCAA tournament; I played well, and we won. So, for the rest of the tournament, I shuffled that album on repeat and ended up winning a national championship with my team.
“I just kept doing it, and I won again during my junior year. It’s kind of been my thing since, and now I’m actually a fan.”
On whether his Bieber ritual is superstitious:
“It’s not the case. Bieber has become part of my routine, and I’m very much a creature of habit.”
On being named Knicks captain:
“My parents raised me to be a leader. I wasn’t doing the stuff I was doing to be named captain; I was doing it to try to help my team win games. I worked hard and led by example.
“You’ve got to know how to talk to certain people, because everyone has a different reaction to different leadership styles. It’s my job to understand different temperaments, and with my teammates, especially in the heat of battle, emotions can be high, so you have to understand what’s going on and how to manage those different temperaments. I’m not that person who’s going to go out there and yell and scream and have everyone think, ‘He just wants to be in control.’ That’s not me.
“I just want everyone to be on the same page, and now, I know my audience.”
On the congratulations he received after being named captain:
“I didn’t get emotional, but I was really thankful and appreciative to see such champions pulling for me. I just know that I’ve got to go out there and help my team win so that hopefully, I’ll have that champion title too one day.”
On his iconic three-point celebration:
“It just came to be out of nowhere about three years ago, and it just kept going. It started to become something that people started to notice, but it really doesn’t mean anything, I swear. Now maybe I need to make up a meaning for it.”
On being labeled “stoic” and being one by nature:
“I’d definitely describe myself as ‘stoic’ — and I’ve heard that word a lot. I’m definitely goal-driven and very focused. I don’t like to accept too much praise, honestly, but I will take the heat from my team when we don’t do well. It’s a quality I’ve always had and something that comes naturally to me.”
On playing in New York:
“Playing in New York has been a dream come true. What it means to me is hard to put into words.
“I remember as a kid, when my dad [former NBA player Rick Brunson, now an assistant coach for the Knicks, who played for the team from 1999 to 2000] played, it was always electric, always the place to be.
“I remember hearing stories about how special [the Knicks’ home base of Madison Square Garden] was. But once it’s your home arena, it’s a totally different feeling; it’s something you just can’t explain.”
On how much playing at Madison Square Garden means to him:
“It means the world to me to be here. This is the best place to do anything. It’s the world’s most famous arena for a reason. It’s not the biggest, but it’s the most special. And I just love playing there and having friends and family being there all the time.”
On the opportunity to play for the Knicks:
“I never really thought I would be in this position, especially in New York. When it comes to opportunities, and basketball life, everything’s so up in the air. Most players’ fates are controlled by someone else, because you’re trying to move them around like puzzle pieces in order to create the best team. There are very few who can pick to where they want to go or get the chance to sign an extension and be there for a long time.”
On his career goals and the importance of team success:
“I think that for my career, the most important thing is to be a champion. I want to win. That’s what’s at the top of my list. That’s numbers one, two, three, four or five for long-term goals. And then I guess, just like in life, I’ll figure out the rest.”
On video game competitions against Knicks teammates:
“If you lose, it ruins your entire day. Each game really matters. So, if I play a game, I play at night so that in case I lose, I can go straight to bed.”
On his attitude toward losses in basketball:
“It affects me, but the best thing about the NBA is that you’re going to play again in a day or two. And so, you have a chance to kind of redeem yourself and help your team win. And I mean, there are games where you play great and then you lose. It becomes about how you mentally prepare yourself every single day and have the people close to you hold you accountable.”
On the importance of consistency:
“I think the more consistent you are as a player, the better you’ll be. That starts with your work ethic, it goes along with your goals. Like, hey, these are my goals. How am I going to achieve them? Your confidence goes hand-in-hand with your work ethic — studying to make sure you’re ready to go every single night. There are no off nights. When you do have a bad night — because every player in the league does — it’s about how quickly you bounce back from that.”
On his second-round draft experience and motivation:
“I feel like I have to work my butt off for [whatever my goal might be]. Like, I may not achieve it, and that’s OK, but I’m going to continue to work as hard as I can to try and achieve those gains. You’re going to fail, but is it going to define who you are? The answer is ‘no.’ For me, it’s important to have that mindset, because you never know what you’re going to be able to achieve if you sell yourself short.”
On his focus after becoming a father:
“I’m excited to have something else to play for now. [Having a child is] something that I know is going to make me focus a lot more because I have someone looking up to me.”
On teaching his daughter to be left-handed and instilling life values:
“There’s definitely going to be a couple of things I teach her, but the first one — jokingly, but very seriously — is making her left-handed, just like how my dad made me left-handed. He told me to keep the ball in my left hand as a kid, and now I’m a dominant left-handed basketball player. I do everything else right-handed, but on the court, I’m dominantly left-handed. So that’s one thing.”
On raising his daughter with hard work and confidence:
“I would love to teach her how to work hard and how to stay strong. You get your confidence from how hard you work. No matter what she does, she’ll need to know to work hard and not ever quit until the job is done. I want her to learn that, just like my wife and I did: we always finish the job that we started.”
On his admiration for WNBA players:
“They’ve all been bringing such joy to the game, but I really want to get Caitlin on [Roommates Show, his podcast with former Villanova and current Knicks teammate Josh Hart], because she’s been absolutely killing it. There are so many role models out there now for young girls, which is great to see, and it’s something that I would love for her to get into if she wants — and I’ll be right there by her side if she does.”
On the importance of having his family around:
“They are my support system; they are everything that I need, and they keep me levelheaded, making sure I’m not too high, not too low. They know how to push me, but they also know how to lift me up when I’m feeling down. They know what I need at the exact right moment.”
On preferring anonymity despite his success:
“I like just flying under the radar. I don’t like special treatment. I mean, it’s cool every now and then, but I want to live life like a regular person more times than not. I’m a regular person. I love great food and music, I love spending time with friends and family just like anyone else. I’m no different from the next person — I just happen to play basketball.”
On his perspective toward New York fans and staying genuine:
“You know, I realized something recently: that the more genuine and authentic you can be, the more a fan base can embrace you. I am genuinely so happy to be here in New York, and I think that comes across. So, as long as I’m just being myself, and as long as I’m staying true to myself, everything is going to turn out for the better.”
John Starks (Former Knicks Player)
On the Knicks’ potential this season:
“I’ve been around this team for years, and I can tell you—this season feels different. There’s something special in the air. Over the last couple of seasons, the Knicks have been building toward something big. The front office has done an incredible job assembling this squad, and now it’s time to take the next step.”
On the team’s similarity to his ‘90s Knicks squad:
“When I look at this team, it reminds me of our run in the ‘90s. That’s where this team is right now—on the verge of something great.”
On the team’s readiness to compete:
“With Jalen and the rest of the squad, they’re ready to compete every single night. We’ve seen some new faces come in, but thanks to the leadership in the locker room and Coach Thibs the culture here is set.
“Now it’s time to go all-in.”
On the importance of belief and unity:
“The Knicks know what they’re capable of, and it’s all about leaving it out on the floor and trusting each other to get the job done. You can sense that belief and when they believe in each other, when they lock in, the sky’s the limit.”