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One common saying from the coach, Thibs, that pops up frequently during press conferences is to “embrace your role.” This phrase is used by him regardless of the topic being discussed.
It’s not as popular a Thibs-ism as “the game tells you what to do” or “that’s the challenge of our league.” But it’s repeated enough to make the list.
And as you probably guessed, there’s no cookie-cutter format to embracing a role. For Jalen Brunson, it means leading the offense. For Josh Hart, it’s rebounding and creating havoc. For Mitchell Robinson, it’s rehabbing. For team security, it’s warding off safety threats. For Brock Aller, it’s keeping the cap sheet in order. For William Wesley, it’s — I’m still not sure what he does (but guessing he embraces the secrecy).
Most have been great in their roles. The Knicks are 32-16, after all, on pace for their best record since 2013. But as you go down the organization’s personnel chart, it’s hard to imagine a person excelling in a very specific role more than Jordan Brink.