The New York Knicks are expected to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown as the franchise’s next head coach, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Knicks president Leon Rose underwent a thorough process since the firing of Tom Thibodeau a month ago. The Knicks requested permission to speak with five NBA head coaches and were denied, then interviewed several available coaches and went through multiround stages with candidates.
Brown is a four-time champion as a top assistant in Golden State and San Antonio under Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich and has coached an array of superstars across three decades in the NBA with the Warriors, Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings,
Brown has coached Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson; Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker; LeBron James; Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol; and De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Brown was fired by the Kings in December after a 13-18 start to the season, this despite having led the franchise to its first playoff berth in 16 seasons in 2023 — breaking the longest postseason drought in NBA history — a season in which the Kings had the top-rated offense in the NBA.
Brown was the only coaching candidate to interview for the Knicks’ job multiple times, including holding meetings with Rose, the team’s front office and owner James Dolan on Tuesday, sources said.
The Knicks also interviewed former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, New Orleans Pelicans associate coach James Borrego and Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, sources said.
Brown, who has a combined record of 454-304 as a head coach with the Cavaliers, Lakers and Kings, won his first NBA Coach of the Year honor in 2009 with Cleveland. He won the award again in 2023 with Sacramento.
Brown led the Cavs to an NBA Finals appearance in 2007, though Cleveland was swept by the Spurs in four games.
The Knicks, who lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals this past season, have not reached the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven’t won an NBA title since 1973.
