Knicks Tap Mike Brown as New Head Coach
The New York Knicks have reportedly offered their head coaching position to Mike Brown, with both parties working towards finalizing an agreement. Brown would succeed Tom Thibodeau, who was let go last month despite a strong playoff run.
Brown’s Return to the NBA
Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, had a second interview with the Knicks before receiving the offer. The Knicks are looking to Brown to lead them to an NBA title after making the surprising choice to move on from Thibodeau. Details of the search were to remain confidential.
Brown previously coached the Sacramento Kings, who relieved him of his duties after a slow start to this past season. He had led the Kings to the playoffs in 2022-23, ending the franchise’s 16-year drought.
Knicks’ Championship Aspirations
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,”
said Knicks President Leon Rose in a statement after Thibodeau was fired. “This pursuit led us to the decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction. … Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward.”
Besides Brown, the Knicks reportedly considered former Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins, as well as current assistants James Borrego of New Orleans and Micah Nori of Minnesota.
Brown’s Coaching History
Brown first won the NBA’s top coach award during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, leading them to the NBA Finals in 2007. He has also coached the Los Angeles Lakers. His overall coaching record stands at 454-304. Furthermore, Brown has four NBA championships as an assistant coach, one with the San Antonio Spurs and three with the Golden State Warriors.
Thibodeau’s Tenure
Thibodeau guided the Knicks to four playoff appearances in five seasons, achieving sustained success that the team hadn’t seen in decades. Under Thibodeau, the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference semifinals each of the past three seasons, achieving 50 wins in the last two.
Mavericks Add Vogel
In other NBA coaching news, Frank Vogel will be joining the Dallas Mavericks’ staff as a lead assistant to Coach Jason Kidd. According to ESPN, Vogel, who most recently coached the Phoenix Suns, was initially hired by Dallas as a coaching consultant in October 2024.
Kidd previously served as an assistant to Vogel during the 2019-20 season, when they won an NBA championship together with the Lakers. He remained on Vogel’s staff until 2021, when he was appointed as the coach of the Mavericks. The Mavericks struggled the past season, missing the playoffs after trading Luka Doncic.
Popovich’s Record Adjusted
The NBA has revised Gregg Popovich’s career record with the San Antonio Spurs, removing the 77 games he missed last season. These games, along with the corresponding wins and losses, have been credited to Mitch Johnson, the new Spurs coach.
Popovich’s official record now stands at 1,390-824. This adjustment reflects the period when Johnson served as acting coach after Popovich suffered a stroke at the team’s arena. Johnson coached the final 77 games of the season, achieving a 32-45 record. The NBA and the Spurs decided to attribute these games to Johnson, who was later named head coach following Popovich’s retirement.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,”
Popovich said upon announcing his retirement. He remains the Spurs president.
This type of adjustment is not unprecedented, as the NBA made a similar decision regarding the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979-80 season. Popovich remains the winningest coach in league history. His winning percentage has increased slightly from .621 to .628.
