Knicks Land Mike Brown as Next Head Coach
The inevitable is now a reality, Mike Brown is the next head coach of the New York Knicks.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 04: Head coach Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 04, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)The New York Knicks have found their next head coach, and to really nobody's surprise it will be former Cavs and Kings Head man, Mike Brown.
Brown takes over for Tom Thibodeau, who was ousted at the end of the Knicks' postseason run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Thibodeau had coached the Knicks for five years, amassing 226 victories, and was responsible for turning around a once moribund franchise.
Initial reports indicated that Knicks President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose made the ultimate decision to axe Thibodeau, but Yahoo Sports also reports that owner James Dolan played a principal role in the firing.
Brown was one of four known candidates to interview for the job, including former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins and New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego. There were reports that the Knicks had also kicked the tires on South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley.
Before settling on Brown, the Knicks were also said to be in hot pursuit of ex-Nets superstar Jason Kidd, who has become a very good head coach in his own right, and coached Knicks star Jalen Brunson in Dallas. But the Mavericks would not let Kidd interview.
While his naming is not going to light a fire in the fanbase, Mike Brown has been a successful NBA head coach. A two-time coach of the year (2009, 2023), Brown served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he coached LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in their formative seasons, and later coached Kobe Bryant with the Lakers for one season in L.A.
Most recently, Brown was the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for two-plus years, before getting fired midway through the 2024-25 season.
Overall, Brown is 454-304 (.599) in 11 years as a head coach.
He takes over a Knicks team loaded with talent in the starting five, spearheaded by Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns. The big issue is depth on the bench. New York's lack of a strong bench really hurt the team in the postseason.
