NBA News: Minnesota Timberwolves Employ Tom Thibodeau as Head Coach and President

Apr 21, 2016 01:25 PM EDT

(Photo : gettyimages.com) Tom Thibodeau has joined the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2011 NBA Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau has been hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves as head coach and president of basketball operations of the team, the Glen Taylor-owned ball squad announced on Wednesday.

Thibodeau, the former head tactician of the Chicago Bulls from 2010 to 2015, was one of the most desired coach on the market. He won a remarkable 65 percent of his games in five seasons spent with the Bulls, but was given the pink slip last season amidst speculation of a feud with the team's general manager Gar Forman.

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The 58-year-old veteran coach is expected to bring his hard-driving approach and unparalleled intensity to a franchise that has the longest postseason drought since 2004. The Wolves finished 13^th place in the 15-team Western Conference this season with a record of 29 wins and 53 losses.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Tom Thibodeau back to the Timberwolves," team owner Taylor told in a statement issued by the Northwest division club. "Through this process we quickly identified Tom as the best leader to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential."

Thibodeau was with Minnesota in the Wolves' expansion season of 1989-90, where he used to be the assistant to Bill Musselman for his first NBA coaching job. He spent two years coaching the Timberwolves before moving in with San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics as an assistant coach.

According to ESPN, the Wolves set up the New Britain, Connecticut native with a five-year deal worth about $40 million.

Thibodeau will have the full authority of the team's basketball operations while relying on Scott Layden, who will be his right-hand man, to be the one responsible for the day-to-day duties in the front office. Layden was hired away from the San Antonio Spurs, where the latter served as an assistant general manager for four seasons.

TagsTom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA 2016, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, glen taylor, Western Conference