The New York Knicks are closing in on their next head coach, and it’s a name with both pedigree and championship experience. According to senior ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Knicks are expected to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown to lead the franchise into its next phase.
After a month-long search following the surprising firing of Tom Thibodeau, Knicks president Leon Rose appears to have made his choice.
Brown brings with him a wealth of experience, having coached across three decades in the NBA. He is a four-time NBA champion as an assistant, winning titles with the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs under Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich.
His resume includes guiding teams with elite defensive identities, but his most recent accomplishment was shaping the Sacramento Kings into an offensive juggernaut in 2022–23, the top-rated offense in the NBA that season.
His time in Sacramento ended unexpectedly in December 2024, when the Kings fired him midseason. The decision was widely criticized across the league, with many believing Brown was unfairly dismissed despite his efforts to transform a perennial lottery team into a playoff contender.
Now, just months later, he lands in the biggest market in the league with a chance to coach one of the most promising rosters in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks are coming off their best season in over two decades. They finished third in the East with a 51–31 record and made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. However, after losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games, the front office shocked fans and analysts by firing Tom Thibodeau.
While the move raised eyebrows, it was clearly the beginning of a vision shift and now, Mike Brown will be tasked with building upon that momentum.
Brown inherits a deep, talented, and versatile roster. Jalen Brunson has emerged as a true superstar and leader of the team, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges bring scoring and spacing.
OG Anunoby and Josh Hart offer elite perimeter defense and hustle, giving Brown a core group tailor-made for two-way basketball. The challenge will be to balance that defensive identity with a modernized, efficient offense, something Brown has proven capable of managing.
New York’s coaching search was exhaustive. Leon Rose reportedly requested permission to interview five sitting NBA head coaches but was denied each time.
The front office then pivoted to multi-round interviews with several free-agent candidates. Brown impressed throughout and was seen as the best blend of experience, flexibility, and leadership.
This hire signals a strong belief in the current roster’s ability to contend now, without blowing up the foundation built under Thibodeau. Brown’s reputation as a steady presence, with championship acumen and locker room respect, could be exactly what the Knicks need to clear the next hurdle: reaching the NBA Finals.
As the Knicks aim to build on their 2025 success, Mike Brown will be at the helm, poised to guide a hungry, rising squad through the East’s gauntlet.
