Knicks add former Hall of Fame NBA player to join Tom Thibodeau's coaching staff

The New York Knicks had a strong season, going 50-32 and securing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference before they were knocked out by the Indiana Pacers.

The Knicks have enjoyed plenty of success under head coach Tom Thibodeau and appear to be on the right track as the 2024-25 NBA season looms.

The team is rich in history and tradition, with generations of great players gracing the franchise. On Thursday, Fred Katz, who covers the Knicks for The Athletic, reported that the Knicks were making a key addition to their coaching staff, adding Hall-of-Famer Maurice Cheeks.

Knicks add Hall-of-Famer to coaching staff

Cheeks spent the vast majority of his playing career as the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. He played parts of two seasons with the Knicks, joining them during the 1989-90 season after being traded over from the San Antonio Spurs.

Katz notes that Cheeks and Thibodeau are longtime friends. Cheeks also recently served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls, Thibodeau's former team.

A graduate of West Texas A&M University, Cheeks played 15 seasons in the NBA. He was a four-time All-Star, a five-time All-Defensive team selection, and won a ring with the Sixers in 1983. His experience should benefit the Knicks as they try to build off of their success over the past few seasons.

The 67-year-old averaged 11.1 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists during his 15-year career. He also shot 52.3 percent from the field, 25.5 percent from 3-point range, and 79.3 percent from the line.

Cheeks was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018. His time with the Knicks may have been limited, but he still should provide some valuable insight to the team as they look to bounce back from their playoff loss to the Pacers.