#Gregg Popovich: Tom Thibodeau ‘great choice’ for Knicks

Tom Thibodeau, a part of Team USA’s coaching staff since 2014, elected to stay on when Gregg Popovich took controls in 2017 from Mike Krzyzewski.

If Popovich didn’t know then, he got to know Thibodeau’s way coincided nicely with the Spurs way.

“Tommy’s a seasoned veteran who it goes without saying understands what wins what loses,’’ Popovich said Saturday on a Zoom call when asked by The Post about Thibodeau’s Knicks hiring. “He knows how to put a program together, create a culture, be demanding. At the same time, make people accountable. It’s easy to demand things, but making people accountable and wanting to play the right way is not something that’s easy for everybody to do. But Tom knows it inside and out.”

The Knicks need victories after seven straight seasons of missing the playoffs. That’s startling considering Popovich is on a 21-year playoff streak, though it finally is expected to end in the Orlando bubble. The Spurs are four games out of the eighth seed with eight regular-season games to play.

“He’ll be a great choice to organize the situation there, develop a plan, start a culture stick to it and be persistent and get after it,’’ Popovich said. “It’s a great choice.’’

Of the 11 coaching candidates, two were from Popovich’s coaching tree — Ime Udoka, now with the Sixers, and Will Hardy, currently a Spurs assistant who has been mentioned as a possible Popovich successor.

So has Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, who did not interview for the Knicks job. Either the Spurs declined permission or Hammon didn’t think she could supplant Thibodeau. The Knicks had internal talks about Hammon.

Asked if Hardy and Udoka are destined to get their chance, too, one day, Popovich said, “Of course they will. If anybody has any sense, they’ll get an opportunity.’’

So has Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, who did not interview for the Knicks job. Either the Spurs declined permission or Hammon didn’t think she could supplant Thibodeau. The Knicks had internal talks about Hammon.

Asked if Hardy and Udoka are destined to get their chance, too, one day, Popovich said, “Of course they will. If anybody has any sense, they’ll get an opportunity.’’