The New York Knicks are turning to Mike Brown as their next head coach. Brown enters 2025-2026 with huge expectations because of how the Knicks finished last season.
Knicks Prepared To Hire Mike Brown
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
The Knicks will soon have a new leader.
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Knicks are expected to hire Brown as the organization’s next head coach.
The Knicks also interviewed former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, and New Orleans Pelicans associate coach James Borrego.
However, Brown was the only coaching candidate to receive multiple interviews with the Knicks. Brown met with Knicks owner James Dolan, president Leon Rose, and the front office.
Brown takes over for Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last month after leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
The Knicks mark Brown’s fifth stint as a head coach. Brown recently served as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings (2022-2024). During his first season in Sacramento, Brown led the Kings to a 48–34 record and the team’s first postseason appearance since 2006.
For his inaugural season with the Kings, Brown became the first person to win NBA Coach of the Year by unanimous vote.
After a 13-18 start to the 2024-2025 season, the Kings fired Brown.
Brown holds an overall record of 454-304 as a head coach with the Cavaliers (2005-2010, 2013-2014), Lakers (2011-2012), and Kings.
Brown guided the Cavaliers, led by a young LeBron James, to the 2007 NBA Finals. The Cavs were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in four games.
Brown won his first Coach of the Year award in 2009.
Brown also served as an assistant under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors (2016-2022). Brown won three NBA titles in Golden State.
New York Knicks Expectations
Complete list of all head coaches in NBA history to win multiple Coach of the Year awards and have a career winning percentage in the playoffs of .550% or better:
Pat Riley,
Gregg Popovich,
and
Mike Brown— end of list —
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) July 2, 2025
Brown is an experienced coach with a winning track record. However, he’s never faced expectations like this coming into a season.
The Knicks controversially parted ways with Thibodeau after the team’s most successful season in 25 years. Thibodeau is the fourth-winningest coach in Knicks history with a record of 226-174.
More importantly, Thibodeau implemented a winning culture, making the postseason in four of five seasons. It doesn’t sound like much, but after two decades of dysfunction, Thibodeau brought stability to the organization.
With Thibodeau out, Brown enters the 2025-2026 season with an absurd amount of pressure. The Knicks must make the Eastern Conference Finals. Considering the injuries to star players in the Eastern Conference and the uncertainties plaguing several teams, anything less than an ECF appearance will be a failure.
The Knicks believe Brown can open up the offense, push the tempo, expand the rotation, and develop the younger players.
