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Mike Brown Has Clear Goal in Mind As Head Coach of New York Knicks

The veteran coach didn't mince words.
Michael Kadlick|
The Knicks hired Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks hired Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau. | Screenshot via MSG Network.

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New York Knicks

Mike Brown was formally introduced as the New York Knicks' 32nd head coach in franchise history from Madison Square Garden on Tuesday afternoon. The 55-year-old sounded excited throughout his 20+ minute press conference—and at one point expressed the clear goal the franchise has for his tenure.

"Our goal—starting with Mr. [James] Dolan, to Leon [Rose], to the players, all the way down to the fans—is to build a sustainable, winning culture that produces championships," said Brown.

"That's why I'm here," he continued. "I'm fortunate to know what it takes to create that success. A lot of hard work, a high level of commitment and a focus on today."

Brown has plenty of experience manning an NBA sideline throughout his time in the Association, having had head-coaching stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Los Angeles Lakers, and most recently the Sacramento Kings. The 55-year-old is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year (2009, '23), and has also won four NBA Finals as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs (2003) and the Golden State Warriors (2017, '18, '22).

He now takes over a Knicks team fresh off of their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000, while also yearning for their first NBA title since 1973.

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Mike Kadlick
MICHAEL KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.

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