Knicks officially announced: Two-time best coach Mike Brown will be the new coach

On July 3, the NBA New York Knicks officially announced the appointment of Mike Brown as the team's new head coach, a decision ending a month-long coaching process since the firing of Tom Thibodeau in early June. Brown, 55, will sign a multi-year contract with the Knicks and shoulder the heavy responsibility of leading this traditional giant to the championship. The Knicks's coach selection process is full of twists and turns. After firing Thibodeau who led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, team president Leon Ross sent interview invitations to five current NBA head coaches, including Jason Kidd of the Mavericks, Finch of the Timberwolves and Uduka of the Rockets, but they were all rejected. This series of rejections highlights the high-pressure nature of the Knicks coach and the caution of potential candidates to take over this team with high expectations.

Faced with this situation, the Knicks management quickly adjusted its strategy and turned its attention to the unemployed and assistant coach groups. After interviewing several candidates including former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, Pelicans assistant coach Borrego and Timberwolves assistant coach Norry, Brown stood out with his extensive coaching experience and two honors as the coach of the year. It is worth noting that Brown is the only candidate to receive multiple rounds of interviews with the Knicks, including a direct meeting with team owner James Dolan, which fully demonstrates the degree of mutual recognition between the two sides.

Mike Brown's basketball resume is brilliant. As an assistant coach, he won the championship with the team four times with the Spurs (2003) and the Warriors (2015-2022), and accumulated valuable championship experience. This experience allowed him to learn from famous coaches such as Popovich and Cole, and also cultivated his ability to handle superstar relationships - from Duncan, Kobe to James and Curry, Brown has successfully collaborated with superstars of all personalities.

During his tenure as head coach, Brown's most eye-catching achievement was to lead the Kings to a 16-year playoff drought in the 2022-23 season, and was awarded the Coach of the Year for the second time. That season, the Kings played the league-first offensive efficiency (119.5), demonstrating Brown's ability in tactical innovation. However, the Kings started the 2024-25 season with a bad start (13 wins and 18 losses) led to Brown being dismissed in the middle, and this experience also provided him with valuable opportunities for reflection.

Throughout Brown's head coaching career, he coached for 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, Lakers and Kings, achieving a regular season record of 454 wins and 305 losses (win rate 59.9%) and a playoff record of 50 wins and 40 losses. In 2007, he led the Cavaliers to the finals and won the Coach of the Year for the first time in 2009. Such a resume makes him one of the most suitable candidates for the Knicks at this stage.

Brown took over a Knicks team that was in a rising period but was facing a bottleneck. Last season, the team achieved a regular season record of 51 wins and 31 losses under Thibodeau (third in the East), and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. The core lineup is dominated by Jaylen Brunson, Julius Randle and Mikal Bridges, with offensive efficiency ranked third in the league (119.5).

However, the Knicks' defensive efficiency ranks only 19th in the league, with a record of 0 wins and 8 losses against top offensive teams. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Thibodeau's seven-player short rotation tactic led to the physical overdraw of the main players and eventually lost to the Pacers 2-4. These problems are exactly what Brown needs to solve - he needs to increase defensive strength while maintaining offensive firepower and establish a more scientific rotation system.

This summer, the Knicks have completed two important reinforcements: Jordan Clarkson and Gaelson Yabuselle, who, as the best sixth man in 2021, will increase the substitute firepower; Yabuselle can provide frontcourt depth. These operations show management's determination to continue to strengthen the lineup. The combination of Brown and the Knicks can be said to be a goal to achieve each. For Brown, it was an opportunity to prove himself in the basketball holy land; for the Knicks, they got a coach who was good at building an offensive system (such as during the Kings) and had championship experience (assistant coaching).

In the short term, Brown needs to solve several key problems:

1. Reconstruction of the defensive system: improve the Knicks' defensive efficiency to the top ten levels in the league;

2. Rotation optimization: avoid repeating the mistakes of Thibodeau's "deadly fighting the main force" and establish a stable rotation of 8-9 people;

3. Star management: balance the ball rights distribution of core players such as Brunson and Randall.

For a long time, Brown's goal is clear - to lead the Knicks back to the finals and end the championship drought since 1973. Considering the competitive landscape of the Eastern Conference and the strength of the Knicks' lineup, this goal is difficult but not out of reach.

"We believe Mike is the best candidate to lead us to our ultimate goal," said Leon Ross, president of the Knicks, in an official statement. "His championship experience, tactical literacy and leadership are exactly what we need. "

With Brown's joining, the Knicks' new season preparations officially kick off.

Can the two-time best coach write a new legend in basketball Mecca, and will become one of the most noteworthy NBA stories in the 2025-26 season.