Knicks Hire Two-Time Coach of Year Mike Brown as Head Coach

The New York Knicks are finalizing a four-year, roughly $40 million agreement with two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown to become the franchise’s 32nd head coach, according to multiple reports. Brown emerged as the clear favorite after receiving owner James Dolan’s sign-off earlier this week, ending a month-long search that included overtures to several sitting coaches.

Brown, 55, owns a 454-304 (.599) regular-season record across previous stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and, most recently, the Sacramento Kings, who dismissed him in December. He guided Cleveland to the 2007 NBA Finals, broke Sacramento’s 16-year playoff drought in 2023 and has collected four championship rings as an assistant with San Antonio and Golden State.

He replaces Tom Thibodeau, fired on 3 June despite steering New York to its first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years. Team president Leon Rose has said the Knicks are “singularly focused” on winning a title; Brown will be charged with elevating a roster led by All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to that goal. The Knicks are also exploring adding former Hornets coach James Borrego to Brown’s staff, league sources said.