Mike Brown’s immediate impact transformed the Knicks into resilient champions, capping a dominant 16-3 postseason run sparked by Jalen Brunson’s heroics and a stunning defensive resurgence in New York.
The first year is the best year for Mike Brown, as the former Sacramento Kings coach won his first championship as a head coach with the New York Knicks.
New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, a testament to their resilience and clutch gene. The Knicks overcame multiple double-digit deficits, and star guard Jalen Brunson willed his team to victory in the fourth quarter.
Their toughness helped close the NBA Finals on the road in San Antonio. Brown said winning a championship for New York was surreal, and he struggled to follow the advice he told his players: stay present.
"I don't know how long it's been since that final buzzer went off, but I still don't believe it," Brown told reporters Saturday night. "I'm pinching myself, I'm telling myself to try to be present. All the stuff that I tell these guys every single day, I'm trying to do because I can't believe it."
Brown recaptured the Year 1 excellence he produced in Sacramento for New York. The Kings hired the Golden State Warriors' associate head coach on May 9, 2022.
Sacramento finished as the No. 3 seed in the 2022-23 season and broke a 16-year playoff drought in Brown's first season. He also won the Coach of the Year award for lifting the organization out of mediocrity for nearly two decades.
Brown matched up against his former squad in the first round and couldn't overcome Stephen Curry, who scored 50 points in a closeout Game 7. Despite the early exit, the Kings' future looked bright under Brown, but injuries quickly piled up.
Injuries derailed the team over the next two seasons, ultimately leading Brown and the organization to part ways on Dec. 27, 2024. New York hired Brown several months later, in July, after firing Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks finished as the No. 3 seed under Brown and had a historic playoff run. They went 16-3 and won 12 straight games before losing Game 3 of the finals. Sacramento letting Brown go led him to his opportunity with New York.
“I’ve got to thank (Kings owner) Vivek Ranadivé for giving me an opportunity,” Brown told reporters in Cleveland. “Obviously, it didn’t work out.”
Brown and former Kings guard De'Aaron Fox represented their former team well with their finals appearance. While two former members of the organization made it to the top of the NBA mountain, it's time for Sacramento to build toward that goal as well.
It could take years to do so, but the Kings have a solid young core. They also have the No. 7 pick in this year's draft, adding another talent, high-upside player to that group.
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