Knicks' Mike Brown Ready for Emotional Reunion with Kings

The head coach of the New York Knicks prepares to orchestrate his first game in Sacramento since being fired by the Kings last year.

Dec 29, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown react to a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Just over a year ago, the Sacramento Kings made waves when they opted to fire Mike Brown, the veteran signal-caller who'd just won Coach of the Year two seasons prior. The dramatic move, one born out of an underwhelming Kings team who'd slowly succumbed to the unrelenting Western Conference around them, looked to make the following summer's coaching search that much more interesting in throwing a big name into the wind.

Fast forward 55 weeks. Brown, one of the most recognizable names on the free agent coaching market, was scooped up by the New York Knicks in an expansive search for Tom Thibodeau's replacement, and now has the Knicks solidified as one of the league's championship contenders.

Backed by an NBA Cup win and a 25-14 record, good for second out east, he now prepares to visit the site of his unceremonious firing in Sacramento. He's been consistently gracious in reflecting on his stint with the Kings in the months since, and prepares to approach them they way he would anyone else for the midweek matchup.

“Great memories here. I enjoyed working with the people I worked with, too," he said. "The reality of it is coming back here in a place my family enjoyed, yeah it’s a little emotional. But at the end of the day, the fans, if they cheer me or hug me when they see me during the game, after the game, trust me, they wanna kick my a**, and the Knicks’ a**. And we wanna do the same.”

Jan 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown talks with guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Brown's Path Ahead

Even looking past his usually-sunny demeanor, Brown has no reason to be overly bitter on how things turned out for him since the separation.

His Knicks are far from perfect, offering a thinner rotation than one may assume by glancing at their roster and still developing as a team-wide defense, but they have the consistent starpower that his Kings were beginning to lack towards the back end of his Sacramento tenure. Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox did rack up the occasional All-Star nods under Brown's tutelage, but Jalen Brunson isn't a shabby go-to option to have in his back pocket, either.

The Kings, now guided by former player-turned-Brown protege Doug Christie, shouldn't be too tough of a challenge for Brown's Knicks. They're feeling themselves, having decisively topped back-to-back playoff teams in the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, but the healthy Knicks have resumed their usual winning formula.

Nov 20, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie reacts during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

As tempting as reflecting on the impact he made on Kings basketball may be, the Knicks coach has plenty worth focusing on in-house.

"In this life, you’ve gotta keep moving forward," he said. "You can really beat yourself up if you try to guess what should have happened, why it happened, all that stuff. Life is short."

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Knicks Should Keep Mitchell Robinson Despite Injury Concerns
• Knicks Star Predicted to Make First Team All-NBA
• Knicks Forward Addresses Growing Trade Speculation
• Knicks Starting Five Commands Early All-Star Voting Returns
• Knicks Fans Should Stop Worrying About Wizards' Protected Pick