Mike Brown has experienced just about everything during his NBA coaching career.
He’s won Coach of the Year awards. He’s been fired multiple times. And after being dismissed by the Sacramento Kings during the middle of last season, Brown admitted he wasn’t even sure another head coaching opportunity would come.
So instead of obsessing over his future, Brown and his wife decided to travel.
According to Newsday’s Steve Popper, the Browns visited Australia for a UFC event before later traveling through Mexico and the Caribbean.
Eventually, they landed in New York. Turns out, that stop changed everything.
“I just wanted to have fun, and if an opportunity came up, great,” Brown said. “If it didn’t, shoot, I felt lucky, blessed, fortunate. I had a good run.”
Brown eventually took over a Knicks team that had already built playoff expectations but was still trying to figure itself out.
Now, the Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Brown said he believed from the very beginning that the roster was capable of reaching this level.
“I truly felt that this team was an NBA Finals team,” Brown said. “I thought we had a true opportunity.”
The season wasn’t always smooth. Brown dealt with lineup questions, system adjustments and stretches of adversity throughout the year.
But he also said he believed the key was whether the group could stay together through difficult moments.
“So, you know, I did have that belief from Day One,” Brown said. “I didn’t know how it was going to turn out, but we’re here.”
The Knicks are awaiting the winner of the Western Conference finals between the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder lead the series, 3-2, entering Thursday’s Game 6 in San Antonio.
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