We all know there are some coaches out there who are media darlings that love to play the game and interact with reporters. We also know that there are many, many, many more coaches who detest giving any bit of information to the press and endure any conversation with them as time spent in purgatory.
Tom Thibodeau is clearly one of those latter coaches.
Thibs has never been known for his outgoing, revelatory relationship with the media. And on Monday night with the Timberwolves picking up a road victory over the Cilppers in Los Angeles, he may have given one of the most incredibly evasive answers ever seen from a head coach.
When asked by ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell if star player Jimmy Butler had an MRI on his injured knee, Thibodeau answered “he may have.”
That’s not the best part of the video, though. Just watch Friedell’s reaction after Thibs’ response as he can’t hold back his laughter.
.@NickFriedell: Did Jimmy [Butler] have an MRI on his knee? #Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau: “He may have.” pic.twitter.com/R1NIloLhan
— Christian Gonzales (@ChrisG_Sports) January 23, 2018
That is absolutely classic. More reporters should absolutely take this approach when coaches stonewall them. What else can you do but laugh when someone responds to a yes/no question with “may have”?
There is no “may have.” Either Butler had the MRI or he didn’t. But it’s obvious that Thibodeau wasn’t interested in revealing that information to anyone in that moment. Friedell is based out of Chicago and covered Thibodeau extensively when Thibs was the Bulls head coach, so he may have been prepared for what was coming.
This sets the new bar for coaches finding new ways to refuse to answer reporters’ questions. This makes “We’re on to Cincinnati” look like a Shakespeare monologue.
