Knicks' Mike Brown Used to Babysit Pistons HC

The New York Knicks are preparing to face the Detroit Pistons in a highly-anticipated matchup at the top of the Eastern Conference, and their two head coaches go way, way back.

In a recent article for The Athletic, James Edwards III broke down the decades-long friendship between Knicks HC Mike Brown and Pistons HC J.B. Bickerstaff, which began with Brown babysitting Bickerstaff.

Bickerstaff told the Athletic that Brown was "strict" and responsible as a babysitter, and specifically shouted out Brown's fear of Bernie Bickerstaff, current Senior Basketball Advisor for the Pistons.

New York Knicks' Mike Brown and Detroit Pistons Senior Basketball Advisor Bernie Bickerstaff, J.B. Bickerstaff's father, 2014 — Mar 20, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown (right) talks with assistant Bernie Bickerstaff against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Quicken Loans Arena. Oklahoma City won 102-95. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

“He was strict,” Bickerstaff said, via Edwards. “He had a great way of making things fun but always organized and detailed. There weren’t going to be things that were missed, and he was scared to death of my dad. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to me.”

The two met when Brown was in his early 20s and Bickerstaff was around 13. Brown was responsible for Bickerstaff while his father, then-general manager of the Denver Nuggets, was out of town. Brown saw Bickerstaff's strong potential as a player early-on, and said he did not envision him becoming a coach at first.

“He was a really good player,” Brown said. “I didn’t know where his playing would take him. There are some guys, like, if it were me, they’d be like, ‘He’s not playing. He’s got a chance to coach.’ He was first-team All-State and had big colleges recruiting him.”

Brown's Leadership History From an Early Age

Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown at press conference prior to the Emirates NBA Cup Final against the San Antonio Spurs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bickerstaff echoed a feeling that appears to be cropping up in New York under the new Knicks HC, who became the only head coach unanimously voted NBA Coach of the Year in history.

“I respected him, even at that age, because he treated me with grace and with kindness [...],” Bickerstaff said. “[...] He was willing to spend the time. We’d work on the court. We’d play one-on-one. He just made me feel comfortable, and knew you could trust him.”

Brown clearly has a long history of mentoring young people, and those formative experiences shine through in his approach to coaching the Knicks now. With the emergence of young players like Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr. and Mohamed Diawara off the bench, the Brown-led Knicks are investing in resilience by giving the younger cohort a shot.

"Mike is one of the most classy guys that we have in our profession, he's one of the brightest coaches that we have in our profession, and just as a human being period, he's one of the best people that I know," Bickerstaff said in a press conference, discussing Brown's firing by the Kings.

Brown has led the Knicks to a 23-12 record so far in his first season at the helm, and Bickerstaff's Pistons lead the East with a 26-9 record. They will face off in Detroit at 7 p.m. EST.

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