Accountability has become a defining trait of Mike Brown’s early leadership as the Knicks’ head coach, marking a clear departure from the approach of former coach Tom Thibodeau. This shift comes after Thibodeau’s dismissal following the Knicks’ six-game Eastern Conference Finals exit last season.
For Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody, however, the emphasis on accountability wasn’t what he anticipated. Moody, along with a few other Warriors, experienced Brown’s coaching style firsthand during Brown’s time as lead assistant from 2016 to 2022.
“Accountability? That surprises me. I thought you were going to mention ‘motherf–ker’ as his favorite term,” Moody shared with the Daily News. “Back then, that was definitely his go-to. Not sure if that’s still the case now.”
Since his days on Steve Kerr’s staff, Brown has evolved significantly. As the Warriors’ defensive coordinator, he secured three championships. His tenure in Sacramento was noteworthy for ending the Kings’ 16-year playoff drought. Now, he faces the task of revitalizing a Knicks squad that recently suffered nine losses within an 11-game period, hoping to reshape the season into a potential NBA Finals bid.
Moody is among five Warriors who played under Brown’s guidance. Draymond Green, another one of those players, shares a particularly close bond with Brown, arguably the closest among his former Golden State teammates.
Such is the strength of their relationship that, even as the Knicks endured a tough losing streak, Brown and Green were seen sharing smiles, laughter, and embraces after the Warriors’ 126-113 victory over the Knicks on January 13, marking New York’s seventh defeat in nine games.
Moments later, at his locker following his postgame group media session, Green explained why the Knicks made the right decision in choosing Brown to lead a team with championship aspirations to the next level.
“He’s always on. Always on. He eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. He’s one of those basketball brainiacs. He really loves this game and he loves this league,” the four-time All-Star and 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year told The News. “And he loves the competition. He’s fiery as hell, which is what New Yorkers respect, which is what I respect about New Yorkers. They respect the grind, they respect the hard-nosed [mentality]. And that’s who Mike Brown is.
“He’s a special basketball mind. I was so fortunate to cross paths with him over the course of my basketball career. I had the opportunity to learn from a basketball savant like Mike B, and I think he’ll continue to raise the level of this New York Knicks organization.”
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Green’s eyes tell the stories he knows he can’t share. There are many moments that come to mind when he thinks of his former assistant coach.
Green laughs as he settles on one he can tell.
“It had to be in Memphis,” he said with a grin.
The Warriors had a running joke when they’d travel to road games: They would charge candles to a random staffer’s room, sometimes a member of the public relations team, other times an assistant coach.
This time, it was Mike Brown’s turn, and former Warriors’ big man Jordan Bell was the culprit.
“When the candles got charged to his room, he was so mad about those f–king candles. It might’ve been $50 worth of candles, and he was so mad those candles got charged to his room,” Green told The News. “It was a running joke, and Jordan Bell charged that s–t to Mike’s room. and Mike went ape s–t.
“We were like, ‘Mike, it’s $40, Mike!’ And he’s like, ‘That’s bulls–t! I didn’t charge anything!’ That was hilarious, but it’s typical Mike B: Pedal to the metal. Funny as hell.”
That’s a snapshot, Green says, into who Brown is. Full speed ahead, 24/7.
“He was the accountability person. He’s the one where we all come in, we’re laughing, we’re joking, and he’s like ‘Guys, what the hell,’” he recalled. “But he was that guy. Mike B would be about to go through a defensive drill in a full-out sweat ready to go. That is him. That’s not a front. That’s who he is.”
Green referenced the clip that went viral during Brown’s tenure with the Sacramento Kings, where he broke out a full sprint while imploring his team to “turn on the motherf–king jets” and run faster.
He did similar things during his time as an assistant with the Warriors and even participated in wind sprints as a penalty during Knicks training camp over the summer.
“We would have to tell Mike, ‘Slow down. You gonna hurt yourself. You ain’t conditioned for this.’ But that’s the energy that he brings on a nightly basis,” Green said. “It was an honor for me to play for and learn from him. He was our defensive coach so that means we were always in constant communication, and just the things I learned and picked up from him, forever grateful.”
The Knicks hope Brown can build a relationship as strong as his with Green with their current roster. It will take time, understanding, and difficult conversations, the likes of which New York’s new head coach isn’t afraid to have.
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Moses Moody used to live right up the street from the Chase Center. He would often come to the arena late at night to get shots up in his spare time.
On those nights, Moody would see the light still on in Brown’s office.
“I love Mike B,” he told The News. “He’s got so much attention to detail, he’s real smart, and you can just tell when someone knows the game at a real high level. And that’s the type of thinker he was even outside of basketball. He’s just a smart person, so applying that to basketball was cool to see, especially for my first year.”
It’s easy to be accountable to a coach when you know he’s coming from the right place — and when you know he’s working just as hard as the players.
“He just got a solid feel to him, a presence to him, so when he’s holding someone accountable, it doesn’t feel like a statement thing, like I’m holding you accountable right now,” he said. “It’s like, ‘This is what you did, let’s talk about it,’ and I can respect that.”
It’s even easier when the coach doesn’t make you feel like you’re in detention. As Warriors defensive coordinator, Brown graded each player’s defensive production and effort each game.
“He would show numbers for individual games and blocks of time,” Steve Kerr recalled. “But he’s a great communicator. So the way he’s able to do that is to develop relationships with guys so it doesn’t feel like you’re going to the principal’s office. He’s got a great way about him that allows him to coach people really well.”
Brown said he grew most as a communicator during his time with the Warriors. He used to carry a pen and notepad and take notes of the things Kerr would say, including when he said it and how he said it to his payers.
“Steve and Pop [Gregg Popovich] are probably two of the best messengers I’ve been around,” he said. “They have a really good feel and pulse of the group as individuals.”
Communication will continue to be key as Brown attempts to rally his Knicks together in the aftermath of their steep fall-off after winning the NBA Cup in mid-December. He’ll continue to lean on his experience with a perennial contender out West to lead New York to similar territory.
“Just trying to find different ways to win, whether it’s defensively or offensively, a combination of both,” Brown recalled. “The [championship] run in 2022 was really special because we didn’t finish in first in the conference, but we got better at the right time and we took off at the right time.
“We just found a way down the stretch. Any time you get in an environment like that, reaching the finals, you grow whether you win or lose it. We were fortunate enough to win it.”
