NBA: Knicks trust Mike Brown to get them back on track

The New York Knicks officially announced Mike Brown as their new head coach, weeks after firing Tom Thibodeau.

"After a thorough and extensive search process, we are pleased to announce Mike Brown as the head coach of the New York Knicks," Knicks President Leon Rose said in a statement. "Mike has coached on the biggest stages in our sport and brings championship pedigree to our organization. His experience leading the bench during the NBA Finals, winning four titles as an assistant coach, and his ability to grow and develop players will all help us as we aim to bring a championship to New York for our fans."

Brown, 55, lands at Madison Square Garden with extensive coaching experience, having been an assistant or head coach with several of the NBA's top franchises.

Mike Brown's career: Four rings and two Coach of the Year awards

The Knicks' new head coach began his career with the Washington Wizards as an assistant (1997-1999), holding the same position subsequently with the San Antonio Spurs (2000-2003), where he won a championship, and the Indiana Pacers (2003-2005).

After leaving Indianapolis, he had his first stint as head coach, specifically with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-2010). He shone with the Cavs, leading them to at least the conference semifinals of the Playoffs in each of the seasons he was in charge of the team. He even reached the Finals in the 2006-07 season, losing to the Spurs. In 2008-09, he was named Coach of the Year.

In 2010, Cavs management fired him and, a season later, he was hired by the Los Angeles Lakers. But his tenure with the franchise only lasted half a year.

For the 2013-14 season, Brown returned to the Cavaliers, although he only stayed that season.

After two seasons away from the bench, in 2016, Brown became an assistant to Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors, being part of the most triumphant era of the franchise, contributing to three NBA titles.

In 2022, he left the Warriors but not California. The Sacramento Kings placed their trust in him and hired him as their head coach, until Dec. 27, 2024, when he was fired. He didn't take the franchise beyond the first round of the Playoffs. However, he did win his second Coach of the Year award in 2022-23.

He's also coached the Nigerian national team since 2020. Now, the Knicks have seen in Brown the ideal person to return to the winning ways and try to win their first NBA championship since the 1972-73 season.