Mike Brown amassed decades of NBA coaching experience before finally winning an NBA title as a head coach for the New York Knicks.
The Knicks notched a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, securing the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973. New York put on one of the best postseason performances in league history, suffering just three total losses on its run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Brown has coached multiple all-time great players over his coaching career, including Stephen Curry.
Brown served as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors from 2016-22, helping the team win back-to-back NBA titles in his first two seasons. He overlapped with Curry for six seasons of the point guard’s all-time great career.
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Curry sent a message to Brown after the Knicks’ championship victory.
“Couldn’t happen to a better guy! Congrats Mike B,” Curry wrote on Instagram.
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Brown is clearly beloved by his players, both current and former.
“Mike was invaluable to this run,” Josh Hart said after the Knicks’ NBA Finals victory, via AP. “He understands what it is to be a champion. He understands how to build a team, how to build habits that will put you in this position. We’re so grateful, so thankful to have him at the top. He kept us even so many times. He’s brought the best out of us, as people first. I’m so happy for him. He’s the reason why we’re here. He’s the reason why we’re here, and we’ve got love for him.”
Brown now has five championship rings: one as head coach of the Knicks, three as an assistant for the Warriors and one as an assistant for the Spurs.
