Mike Brown’s coaching journey reads like a masterclass in adaptability.
From Cleveland’s championship pursuit alongside LeBron James to the pressure cooker of following Phil Jackson in Los Angeles, Brown has navigated every conceivable challenge the NBA can throw at a head coach.
His Sacramento stint proved most telling, transforming a franchise mired in mediocrity into a legitimate playoff contender.
Now the New York Knicks have handed him the keys to their championship aspirations, and those who know Brown best believe the fit couldn’t be better.
Jordi Fernandez, who worked closely with Brown in Sacramento, recently offered his assessment of what Knicks fans can expect.
“He works really hard. He wants everybody else to work hard. He always has a very good way with people. People love Mike Brown. And he will hold everybody accountable, not just the players, but everybody that works around him and himself. When he feels like he made a mistake, he’ll share with everybody else. So I’ve learned a lot from him,” Fernandez said.
“He works really hard. He wants everybody to work hard. He always has a very good way with people. People love Mike Brown
“He’ll hold everybody accountable…the players…everybody that works around him…himself”
– Nets coach Jordi Fernandez on mentor Mike Brown
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— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 11, 2025
The Knicks are entering the 2025-26 season with championship expectations and a roster built to deliver.
After parting ways with Tom Thibodeau following a hard-fought Eastern Conference Finals appearance, New York turned to Brown for his proven ability to maximize talent and create offensive flow.
Brown inherits a 51-win team loaded with complementary pieces around Jalen Brunson.
Karl-Anthony Towns brings elite shooting and scoring, while OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges provide two-way versatility that should thrive in Brown’s system.
His up-tempo approach represents a clear departure from Thibodeau’s grind-it-out philosophy.
Sacramento’s transformation under Brown tells the story best.
The Kings posted the league’s top offensive rating in 2022-23, breathing life into a franchise that had forgotten how to win.
That same energy now arrives in New York, where expectations run higher and patience runs shorter.
