Knicks offer coaching job to Mike Brown and are working on a deal, AP
source says
[July 03, 2025]
By BRIAN MAHONEY
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have offered their
coaching job to Mike Brown and are working to finalize a deal with the
two-time NBA Coach of the Year, a person with knowledge of the details
said Wednesday.
Brown would replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last month despite
leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time
in 25 years. |
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown is pictured in the first half of
an NBA preseason basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Oct. 15, 2024,
in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps, File) |
|
Brown had his second interview with the Knicks
on Tuesday before the job was offered, the person told The
Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of
the search were to remain private.
The plan to hire Brown was first reported by ESPN.
Brown earned his second award as the NBA's top coach after
leading Sacramento to the playoffs in 2022-23 — ending what was
the league's longest postseason drought with its first
appearance since 2006 — but the Kings fired him nearly halfway
through last season.
He would take over a Knicks team that believes it can contend
for the NBA title and made it clear that was the only goal when
it made the surprising decision to fire Thibodeau, who like
Brown is a two-time winner of the NBA's Coach of the Year award.
The Knicks quickly identified Brown as a candidate they wanted
to speak with, while also discussing the job with former Memphis
coach Taylor Jenkins and current assistants James Borrego of New
Orleans and Micah Nori of Minnesota before offering the position
to Brown.
Brown was honored with his first coaching award when he coached
the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he led to the NBA Finals in
2007 during his first stint with the organization. He also
coached the Los Angeles Lakers and is 454-304 in his career.
Brown also won four championships as an assistant coach, three
with the Golden State Warriors and one under Gregg Popovich in
San Antonio.
His coaching staff will be discussed in the coming days, the
person told AP.
Thibodeau led the Knicks to their only sustained success of the
2000s, with four playoff appearances in his five seasons. They
reached at least the East semifinals each of the last three
seasons and reached 50 wins in both of the last two.
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