“First thing, it’s a blessing. It’s a blessing to be in the NBA this long, I don’t take it for granted. I’m just thankful.” Taj Gibson’s situation is not something that one would consider ideal when compared to that of an average NBA player. After all, despite being 39 years of age, and having spent 15 years in the league, the recent contract he signed with the Charlotte Hornets was a mere 1-year, $3.3 million deal.

It’s not every day one gets to hear, “He just knows everything” from a renowned NBA personality like Tom Thibodeau, yet still gets to play only under minimum contracts. Fortunately, the player is not one to complain. After all, it is also not every day that one gets to keep shining in a competitive world like the NBA.

Therefore, without further ado, let us look more into the history of the Hornets’ new Center/Power Forward. Oh boy, you’re in for an underrated treat!

Who is Taj Gibson?

Born and bred in Brooklyn, Taj Gibson switched between 3 to 4 different schools, with the last 2 in California. However, it was the popular metropolitan area of New York City, allowing him to develop the importance of job juggling and work ethic. He highlighted the same in an interview in 2017, revealing “Every time I’d see people, most people will have two or three jobs.” Therefore, when the future NBA player finally took up basketball, he ensured he would use it to perfection.

Upon joining the Telecommunications High in Brooklyn, Gibson was invited to the NBPA Top 100 Camp before his senior season. He made one of his first noticeable marks in basketball here, finishing fourth in scoring with a 17.1 average. Later, during his sophomore and junior years at Stoneridge Prep in California, he recorded 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 blocks per game.

His success in high school allowed the player to gain a seat at the University of Southern California. Unfortunately, his entry into college was not that early, as Gibson ended up as one of the oldest freshmen in the entire country at the age of 21. Despite this, the player was still named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team to his credit. In the three years he spent at USC, the Center/Power Forward averaged 12.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists throughout 175 games.

The player’s points average stayed in the double digits throughout the three seasons, thanks to the 4.7-8.1 field goals and 2.8-4.5 free throws he averaged. His contributions deserved their due credit, as he went on to earn the Third-team All-Pac-10 honor in 2008, the Second-team All-Pac-10 in 2009, and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year title in 2009. By the time he emerged from his final USC season, he was confident enough to put his name forward for the NBA Draft.

How has Taj Gibson fared throughout his NBA career?

Notably, the NBA selected Gibson as the 26 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. It was the same class that also introduced several future stars like Stephen Curry, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, and Jrue Holiday. Playing for the Chicago Bulls, Gibson was awarded a 4 year, $8.69 million contract that yielded him at least $2.17 million per year. The player found his footing within the franchise quite easily in his first year, leading the rookie team to victory during the All-Star Weekend for the first time since 2002.

On top of that, the 9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists he averaged helped the team reach the playoffs, allowing him to be named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

While the player was shifted to a bench role soon after his first season, the Chicago Bulls kept him in their herd. The franchise was quite generous in its offer. They provided Gibson with a whopping 4-year, $38 million extension, with the entire amount guaranteed. When the time came for another extension to be handed out in 2017, the Bulls put their foot down and sent the player off to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, the player only stayed on for 23 games and was traded the same year for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Glen Taylor-owned team gave the center an even bigger contract, worth 2 years at $28 million. Unfortunately, this would be the highest contract the player would ever secure in his career.

Upon joining the Timberwolves, Gibson created a different sort of history, becoming the first NBA player to don the number 67 in over sixty-eight years. He did this to honor one of his schools, P.S. 67, Charles A. Dorsey School, which is located in his birthplace of Brooklyn, New York. His time with this Western Conference franchise was amongst his best, as he averaged 12.2 and 10.8 points during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Gibson decided in 2019 to sign with his home team, the New York Knicks. While they took him in under a 2-year, $20 million deal, the franchise seemed confused about how to use the player. They signed him in July, waived him in November 2020, signed him back in January 2021, and waived him again in July 2022. For the 2020 season, his pay was reduced all the way from an annual $10 million to just $2.28 million.

The ultimate downfall for the player came after he was waived by his next team, the Washington Wizards, after playing in only 2 games and averaging 3.4 points during the stint. With a franchise that hasn’t made the Conference Finals since 1979, waiving the player off due to him not being projected to have a significant rotation role was a sign that Taj Gibson’s best days were behind him.

Amidst non-guaranteed and ten-day contracts, the player’s performance also took a big hit. During the 2023-24 season, he played only 20 games by alternating between the Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, averaging only 1.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game. After the Pistons ended up dead last on the points table, Gibson’s future seemed bleak. Fortunately, the Charlotte Hornets have now provided him with some much-needed relief.

Suffice it to say that the later years of Taj Gibson were as bad as it could get for any NBA player. Being 39 years of age, there may not be that many years remaining in this journey. However, the player could come back and always try his hand at coaching. If he does, he already has someone willing to take him in.

Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau wishes to recruit Taj Gibson in an interesting role

Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the New York Knicks, has a longstanding relationship with Taj Gibson. After all, he was present as HC when the player was the Bulls, made the shift to the Timberwolves only a year before him, and was there to guide him during his stints at Madison Square Garden. Therefore, if there is anyone who knew the true potential the player held, it was him.

“He was incredible which doesn’t surprise any of us. We knew he would be,” said Thibodeau in January 2024, after Gibson was waived by the Knicks again. “Whether he was in the rotation or not, it just brought so much to our team. The ultimate pro.”

When questioned on whether he would add Gibson to his coaching staff, Thibodeau replied, “He knows how I feel about that. We always have a spot for him. It’s an open door. We will see how everything unfolds going forward. I think he still has something left in the tank. I think he’s going to be a terrific coach when that time comes, as well. We’ll see how everything goes.”

Taj Gibson’s NBA career did not pan out as he might have expected. Fortunately, if it is up to him, he can create a new and more memorable chapter of his basketball journey.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.