Brown, who coached a young LeBron, sees a future beyond retirement.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has seen a lot of basketball in his career, and a lot of that basketball has involved LeBron James.
So when Brown was asked before Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers if it had hit him that this could be the last time he coaches against the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer, his answer was about as straightforward as it gets.
"No, I haven't," Brown said.
Brown Knows Better Than Most
That response carries more weight coming from Brown than it would from just about anyone else in the league, because Brown was the head coach in Cleveland when a young LeBron James was just getting started on what would become one of the greatest careers in NBA history.
Brown took over the Cavaliers in 2005 and coached James for five seasons, leading the franchise to its first-ever NBA Finals appearance in 2007 and earning Coach of the Year honors in 2009 after a 66-win season.
He has watched James up close longer than most coaches ever will, and what he sees now still amazes him.
"He's such a phenomenal athlete," Brown said. "I don't know anybody that takes care of their body better than he does, and he just seems like he can play forever."
The Father-Son Factor
Brown then shifted to a topic that clearly stuck with him more than any retirement talk, and that is the fact that James' son Bronny is now playing alongside his father on the Lakers' roster.
"The crazy part for me is when you see players that you coached and then their kids are playing in the NBA, that's a little freaky for me because it tells me I'm old," Brown said with a laugh.
He joked that he shaves his gray hairs to trick himself into believing he is not as old as the situation makes him feel, but admitted that seeing Bronny in the league alongside his father is something he still can not fully wrap his head around.
"His son playing in the NBA is just mind blowing, and that impacts me more than him retiring," Brown said. "Cause I think he can play forever. That's just my personal opinion. I know he won't, but the shape that he is in and how he takes care of his body is just amazing."
Sunday's Matchup
Brown's Knicks (41-23) visited the Lakers (38-25) at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday afternoon in the second and final meeting between the two teams this season.
New York took the first matchup back on February 1 at Madison Square Garden, winning 112-100 behind OG Anunoby's 25 points.
James has been dealing with a bruised left elbow and was listed as a game-time decision heading into Sunday's contest, adding another layer to the conversation about how much longer he will keep going.
Through 44 games this season, the 23-year veteran is averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, which is a slight dip from his career averages but still impressive for a player in his 23rd season.
Whether or not this ends up being James' final year in the NBA remains unclear, as retirement talk has followed him throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
But if you ask Mike Brown, he is not buying it just yet.