Knicks News: Larry Brown Continues to Heap Praise on His Old Team
For a guy who had as miserable of a season as a person could have in the one year he coached the New York Knicks, Larry Brown has an awful lot of positive things to say about them right now.
Brown, fresh off giving an interview to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News in which he showered praise upon his former employer for their hiring of William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley, went on the Michael Kay Show on Thursday afternoon and continued to go heavy on the compliments for the Knicks, their recent moves, and their owner.
“I definitely think so,” said the 79-year-old Brown when asked about whether Wesley can change the perception of the franchise. He referenced the value of the relationship Worldwide Wes had with Allen Iverson when he coached the Answer in Philadelphia, saying “he was always there for both of us.” Later, Brown went on to coach the Pistons to a championship, and told Kay that he "took the Detroit job because of [Wesley]”.
Regarding the Knicks, Brown mentioned that New York has "the most knowledgeable and passionate fans in the league” before saying that his advice to the new hires would be not to let anyone get between them and Knicks owner Jim Dolan. Brown was effusive in his praise for the man who once ok'd his dismissal, saying that Dolan gives those that work for him all the resources they need to win.
When asked about the biggest challenge that would exist for new head coach, Brown referenced the Knicks roster, saying they needed to get some free agents to balance out what he feels is a talented core of young players (although he declined to mention any by name). According to Brown, if you have older players “who demand things from themselves,” it makes the coach’s job that much easier, and used the Knicks' last successful season in 2012-13 as evidence of that, what with the presence of Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, and several others.
Before the end of the interview, Kay half-jokingly asked Brown why he doesn't throw his hat in the ring to return as New York's coach. "I didn't do a really good job when I was there," Brown said sheepishly. "I'm kind of ashamed of that."
Regardless of that 23-59 campaign, it's nice to hear Brown so upbeat about the Knicks future, even if it is from the outside looking in.
