Ben Stiller, a die-hard Knicks fan, took to social media to express his shock and gratitude towards Tom Thibodeau, who was fired as the head coach of the New York Knicks on Tuesday, June 3.

Stiller, who sat courtside during the Knicks' deep run this postseason, wrote a heartfelt tribute to Thibodeau, crediting him with making the Knicks "relevant again" and bringing the team back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. "Felt he gave every bit of himself and was always looking to improve," Stiller wrote.

In a second post, Stiller suggested that fans should take Thibodeau out to dinner to thank him for his incredible work over the past five years. "Respect and wishing him great success," Stiller added, along with a gif of the former Knicks coach smiling during a press conference.

Thibodeau led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers on May 31. In a statement, Knicks president Leon Rose said, "Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we've decided to move in another direction."

Rose praised Thibodeau for his "class and professionalism" and thanked him for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach.

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