Many basketball fans would like to have Tom Thibodeau back on the basketball court after his time at Salem State University, where he served as team captain, but it is obvious that the renowned basketball player has taken his rightful place as basketball coach behind the scenes. Tom currently serves as head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and also serves as president of the basketball operations on the team.
The renowned basketball coach has served as both assistant coach and head coach for several years, winning the 2008 NBA championship as an assistant coach, and as head coach, Tom was named NBA Coach of the Year 2011 and NBA All-Star Game Head Coach 2012 for being the fastest coach in NBA history to achieve 100 wins.
Tom Thibodeau Biography & Age
Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. was born on January 17, 1958, in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Unfortunately, his father, Thomas J. Thibodeau Sr., passed away during the 2007-2008 NBA season.
Due to his demanding career, his family rarely sees him, but they understand the demands of his career places on him. The renowned coach was conspicuously absent at several family funerals, birthdays, weddings, and christenings. During the 2011 NBA lockout, he returned home for the first time in 20 years. Tom went to high school in New Britain and attended Salem State University from 1977 to 1981. He graduated with a BSC and a Masters in Counseling.
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Coaching Career
Tom Thibodeau made a conscious decision to pursue a career as a basketball coach after graduating from college. He made his coaching debut in 1981 as an assistant coach at his Alma Mater Salem State University, where he served for three years before being promoted to head coach. The budding coach stayed on as head coach for a single season before joining the Harvard University basketball team as an assistant coach. His four seasons at Harvard were just the prelude to his NBA entry as an assistant coach at the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 1991, Tom Thibodeau was signed as a spotter for the Seattle Supersonics.
The following season, he transferred to the San Antonio Spurs and stayed on as an assistant coach for two years, where he also served as assistant to the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks, where he served for seven years before moving to the Houston Rockets. He later rose to the position of assistant head coach at Bolton Celtics, where he achieved great success. The Celtics were already one of the top defensive teams in the NBA, but before he left the NBA they managed to win the 2008 NBA Championship final against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tom Thibodeau’s years as head coach began with the 2010 Chicago Bulls, where he won the NBA Coach of the Year title after setting records for the most victories of any rookie head coach. The coaching expert led the Bulls into their first season of 50 wins since the era of Michael Jordan. He also brought in the Eastern Conference All-Star Coach, and subsequently, Tom was named the fastest coach with 100 career wins. He later took second place in the 2012 NBA Coach of the Year, but unfortunately, tensions between Tom and the Bulls’ front office led to his dismissal in 2015. The basketball coaching star is currently making waves as head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA.
Tom Thibodeau Salary & Net Worth
According to some reliable sources, Tom Thibodeau’s estimated net worth is an impressive $12 million, much of which stems from his career as a successful basketball coach. With an annual salary of $5 million, his net worth has the potential to grow in the near future.
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Siblings
Tom is one of five children; he grew up with two sisters – Nancy and Janet – and two brothers – David and Dennis.
His brother Dennis died unexpectedly at the age of 66 on August 7, 2018. There is not much information about his siblings on the Internet, but it is known that his brother David is a survivor of the Branch Davidians sect, which was led by David Koresh.
Wife & Personal Relationships
The basketball coach was never married and seems to have taken on his single nature. There are also no records of children in the past. According to a 2012 New York Times article, Tom Thibodeau was once engaged during his time at graduate school. His fiancée’s name was Debbie, and she just happened to be one of the two Debbies he was with at the time, as his college teammates revealed
Tom’s wedding to Debbie never saw the light of day because he had canceled it a few weeks before the date. Asked by his boss and sports director in Salem State, John Galaris, Tom Thibodeau explained that there is no room for a woman in his life if he wants to be successful as a basketball coach. This may well be the secret of the success he has had in his coaching career.
Height & Weight
Currently, there is no information about the size of the basketball coach and other body statistics, but it is expected that he will be over 1.80 m tall to qualify for a place in basketball. An update of his general body statistics is also not available.
