The New York Knicks finally hire their new head coach!

After several weeks of searching and multiple rejections, the New York Knicks have found their new head coach in Mike Brown, according to multiple sources. This appointment comes almost exactly one month after Tom Thibodeau’s dismissal, despite the franchise’s best season in 25 years.

BREAKING: The New York Knicks are expected to land on two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown as the franchise’s next head coach, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/LOXb74LFe4

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2025

An experienced coach with solid credentials

Mike Brown brings considerable experience to the Knicks bench. The 55-year-old coach boasts an impressive record of 454 wins to 304 losses in regular season, plus 50 playoff victories. A two-time Coach of the Year winner, he first won it in 2009 with Cleveland during LeBron James‘s first stint, then in 2023 with Sacramento.

A defensive specialist trained with the Spurs under Gregg Popovich in the early 2000s, Brown has also excelled as an assistant. He has four NBA titles to his name: one with San Antonio in 2003, then three with Golden State alongside Steve Kerr in 2017, 2018, and 2022. He even temporarily led the Warriors during part of the 2016-2017 Finals due to Kerr’s back problems.

An appointment that culminates years of courtship

This arrival in New York represents the culmination of a long history between Brown and the Knicks. The franchise had already met with him in 2018 and 2020, before ultimately choosing David Fizdale and then Tom Thibodeau. Leon Rose, team president since 2020, conducted an intensive search this past month, interviewing numerous candidates while facing several rejections from active coaches like Ime Udoka, Jason Kidd, and Chris Finch.

Brown comes free of any contract after his dismissal by Sacramento last December, despite a record of 13 wins to 18 losses. Paradoxically, he had led the Kings to their first playoff appearance in 16 years the previous season, which earned him a three-year, $30 million extension in May 2024.

The Knicks, who still owe Thibodeau about $30 million following last year’s extension, are counting on Brown to take them to the next level after their elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers. This appointment is part of a broader strengthening strategy, with the expected arrivals of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.