Michael Burton Brown (born March 5, 1970) is an American

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

coach who most recently served as the head coach for the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA). Brown was previously the head coach of the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

and the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

, as well as an assistant coach for the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...

. He also served as the head coach of the Nigerian national team from 2020 until 2022, coaching the team at the 2020 Olympic Games. Brown began coaching the

in 2005. The team reached the 2007 NBA Finals, where they were swept by the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. Brown was honored as NBA Coach of the Year for leading the Cavaliers to a team-record and league-best 66 wins in 2009. The Cavaliers won 61 games, again a league-best, in 2010. However, after the Cavaliers lost to the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, Brown was fired. Brown succeeded Phil Jackson as the head coach of the

in 2011 before being dismissed five games into the 2012–13 season. He returned to the Cavaliers in 2013, but was fired after one season. Brown then joined the

as associate head coach in 2016; the team went on to defeat the Cavaliers in the

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

and 2018 NBA Finals, and the

in the 2022 NBA Finals. He departed from the Warriors in 2022 to become the head coach of the

. In his first year as head coach, Brown led the Kings to their first playoff appearance in 17 years, snapping the longest playoff drought in NBA history. For his efforts, Brown became the first-ever unanimous NBA Coach of the Year award winner and was named to the NBCA Coach of the Year award in 2023.

Early life and career

Brown was born on March 5, 1970, in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

, to a father who served in the

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

. He moved with his family to military bases where his father was stationed and spent time in the United States, Japan and Germany during his childhood. Brown graduated in 1988 from Würzburg American High School in Würzburg, Germany, where he excelled in basketball and football. After studying and playing basketball for two years at Mesa Community College, Brown attended the

University of San Diego The University of San Diego (USD) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University ...

, where he played two seasons of

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

for the San Diego Toreros and graduated in 1992 with a

Bachelor of Business Administration A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is an undergraduate degree in business administration awarded by colleges and universities after completion of four years and typically 120 credits of undergraduate study in the fundamentals of busine ...

degree. Brown began his NBA career in 1992 with the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

, where he was a video coordinator and scout for five seasons.

Coaching career

Washington Wizards (1997–1999)

In 1997, Brown moved to Washington for two seasons, working as an assistant coach under Bernie Bickerstaff.

San Antonio Spurs (2000–2003)

In 2000, Brown was hired by

Gregg Popovich Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball executive and former coach who is the president for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the List of current NBA head co ...

as an assistant coach with the

. He also was the head coach for the Spurs' summer league teams in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

and

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

. The Spurs won an NBA championship in 2003 while Brown was on their coaching staff.

Indiana Pacers (2003–2005)

In 2003, Brown was hired as associate head coach under

Rick Carlisle Richard Preston Carlisle ( ; born October 27, 1959) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has previously served as head coach of the Detroi ...

with the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

. He helped lead Indiana to consecutive playoff appearances, including a trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 2004. Brown followed Ron Artest into the stands and was instrumental in getting him back to the locker room during the massive brawl between the Pacers,

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

, and Pistons fans at the Palace at Auburn Hills on November 19, 2004. Brown remained with the Pacers for two seasons.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2005–2010)

In June 2005, Brown replaced Brendan Malone as

head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...

of the

. It was his first NBA head coaching position. Brown became the second-youngest coach in the league (trailing only Lawrence Frank). When Brown arrived in Cleveland, the Cavs had missed the playoffs in emerging superstar

LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. ( ; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and ...

's first two NBA seasons and had not made the playoffs since 1998. Under Brown, they won 50 games, made the 2005–06 playoffs, and won their first-round series. On June 2, 2007, Brown's Cavaliers defeated the

in the Eastern Conference finals and advanced to the

NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...

for the first time in franchise history. However, they were swept in four games by his former team, the

. On February 1, 2008, Brown was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for January 2008. In 2009, Brown was named coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. On April 20, 2009, Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year after guiding the Cavaliers to a league-high and franchise-best 66–16 record. The Cavs won a league-high 61 games in the 2009–10 season. However, the team was eliminated by the

in the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 13, 2010. With this loss, the Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to win 60 games in back-to-back seasons without advancing to the NBA Finals. Brown was fired on May 24, 2010, due to the owner Dan Gilbert wanting to lure LeBron James back to Cleveland. Under Brown's leadership, the Cavs made it past the first round of the NBA playoffs for five consecutive seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers (2011–2012)

On May 25, 2011, Brown agreed to succeed Phil Jackson as head coach of the

. He reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with a team option to renew his contract for a fourth year. On May 31, 2011, he was officially named the Lakers' new head coach. The 2011–12 season was shortened to 66 games by the lockout that season, and the Lakers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Before the 2012–13 season, Brown decided that the Lakers would use a version of the Princeton offense. Shortly afterward, the Lakers acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, giving them a starting lineup of five former All-Stars with a combined 33 All-Star game appearances (the other former All-Stars were

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 20-year career with t ...

, Pau Gasol, and

Metta World Peace Metta Sandiford-Artest (born Ronald William Artest Jr., November 13, 1979), previously legally named Metta World Peace, is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Un ...

, respectively). Although immediately considered top title contenders, the Lakers struggled to adjust to the changes in both system and personnel and were winless in eight preseason games. The team's travails continued into the start of the regular season, with the team losing four of its first five games. Nash had played just games due to injury, Howard was playing but recovering from back surgery, and Bryant had been playing with an injured foot and was unable to practice. On November 9, 2012, Brown was fired. The Lakers felt an urgency to win given their aging stars, Howard's pending free agency, and owner Jerry Buss's deteriorating health. Brown's dismissal after five games was the third-fastest coaching change in NBA history.

Second stint with Cleveland Cavaliers (2013–2014)

On April 24, 2013, Brown was rehired by the Cavaliers, replacing Byron Scott as head coach. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said that firing Brown the first time was a "mistake". For the first time as a head coach, Brown's team posted a losing record over an 82-game season as his team was marred by injuries and reported infighting in the locker room. On May 12, 2014, he was fired by Gilbert a second time.

Golden State Warriors (2016–2022)

On July 6, 2016, the

hired Brown as an assistant coach; he replaced

Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a ...

, who departed for a head coaching position with the

. Brown served as acting head coach during periods in which head coach

Steve Kerr Stephen Douglas Kerr (born September 27, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the United States men's national ...

was unable to do so due to chronic

back pain Back pain (Latin: ''dorsalgia'') is pain felt in the back. It may be classified as neck pain (cervical), middle back pain (thoracic), lower back pain (lumbar) or coccydynia (tailbone or sacral pain) based on the segment affected. The lumbar area ...

. Brown led the Warriors to a 12–0 record in the 2016–17 NBA playoffs while Kerr was absent; the Warriors went on to win the championship in five games that year, defeating the

. The Warriors finished the playoffs with a 16–1 record, the best postseason winning percentage in NBA history. The Warriors went back to the Finals in

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

and defeated the

in the Finals for the second straight year. During these two finals he faced off against LeBron James, whom he had coached for five years in Cleveland. On May 9, 2022, he was the Warriors' acting head coach for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...

after Kerr tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. The team won the game to take a 3–1 lead in the series. The Warriors made it to the 2022 NBA Finals where they defeated the

in six games to give Brown his fourth NBA championship as an assistant coach and third championship with the Warriors overall.

Sacramento Kings (2022–2024)

On May 9, 2022, Brown was named the head coach of the

. In his inaugural season, he coached the Kings to a 48–34 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 2006. He was subsequently named NBA Coach of the Year for the 2022–23 season, receiving 100 votes and becoming the first coach in history to win the award by a unanimous vote. On December 27, 2024, the Kings fired Brown after a 13–18 start to the 2024–25 season. The previous day, Sacramento fell at home to the

despite holding a ten-point lead with under three minutes remaining in regulation, as Jaden Ivey converted on a four-point play in the final seconds for a 114–113 Detroit victory.

National team career

On February 5, 2020, Brown was announced as the new head coach of Nigeria's men's national basketball team.

Head coaching record

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Personal life

Brown's brother Anthony Brown played in the NFL.

References

External links

College playing statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Mike 1970 births Living people American expatriate basketball people in Germany American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Ohio Basketball players from Columbus, Ohio Cleveland Cavaliers head coaches Golden State Warriors assistant coaches Indiana Pacers assistant coaches Mesa Thunderbirds men's basketball players Los Angeles Lakers head coaches NBA broadcasters Olympic coaches for Nigeria Sacramento Kings head coaches San Antonio Spurs assistant coaches San Diego Toreros men's basketball players Sportspeople from Columbus, Ohio Washington Wizards assistant coaches 20th-century American sportsmen