Mike Brown named Knicks head coach: « I embrace the high expectations »

The New York Knicks have officially announced the appointment of Mike Brown as head coach. The former Sacramento Kings coach, aged 55, takes over from Tom Thibodeau, who was dismissed despite reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season. During his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Brown showed his determination in face of the high expectations awaiting him at Madison Square Garden.

Mike Brown’s introductory press conference is underway: pic.twitter.com/uaP3GFsmDX

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 8, 2025

« Nobody has higher expectations than I do. My expectations are high, » Brown told reporters. « This is the Knicks and Madison Square Garden. It’s iconic… I love and embrace the expectations that come with it. »

Championship experience to break the curse

Leon Rose, Knicks president, justifies this choice by Brown’s unique experience. « Mike has coached on our sport’s biggest stages and brings a true winning culture to our organization, » explains the executive. « His experience as a coach in the NBA Finals, his four titles won as an assistant coach, and his ability to develop players will be valuable assets as we aim to bring a championship back to New York for our fans. »

Mike Brown: « Our goal … is to build a sustainable winning culture that produces championships. That’s why I’m here. I’m fortunate to know what it takes to create that success: A lot of hard work, a high level of commitment and a focus on today. »

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 8, 2025

Brown comes with an impressive record: four NBA titles as an assistant with San Antonio (2003) and Golden State (2017, 2018, 2022), alongside Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr. He also led Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2007 and was named Coach of the Year twice (2009, 2023).

During his three decades in the NBA, Brown has coached stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and De’Aaron Fox. He holds a career record of 454 wins and 304 losses.

Brown inherits a talented team with the duo of Jalen Brunson – Karl-Anthony Towns, who narrowly lost to the Pacers (4-2) in the Eastern Conference Finals. A title has eluded the Knicks since 1973, with their last NBA Finals appearance dating back to 1999. « There’s a lot of work to do, but I can’t wait to get started, » concluded the new coach, aware of the challenge awaiting him in the Big Apple.