Mike Brown. Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Everyone made the same joke after the Knicks hired Mike Brown

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 8:41 AM ET

The New York Knicks finally have a new head coach, and many fans feel that the team did not make an upgrade.

Mike Brown is expected to be named the new head coach of the Knicks. While the 55-year-old has an impressive resume and plenty of experience, the big question is whether the team will be in significantly better hands under Brown than they were with former head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Like Thibodeau before he got the Knicks job, Brown has extensive experience as both a head coach and assistant coach in the NBA. Thibodeau won a championship as an assistant with the Boston Celtics. Brown has won titles as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors.

After the news about Brown broke on Tuesday, fans all made the same joke about about the Knicks’ new coach not representing an upgrade over their old one.

Imagine firing Tom Thibodeau only to hire Mike Brown #Knicks pic.twitter.com/HQX40b5g2g
— Shane Johnson (@shanejohnson_22) July 2, 2025

The NY Knicks really fired Tom Thibodeau just to hire Mike Brown pic.twitter.com/SUORBvJMFW
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) July 2, 2025

The Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau and hiring Mike Brown: pic.twitter.com/4NLUaUu8yx
— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) July 2, 2025

Mike Brown > Tom Thibodeau

pic.twitter.com/NW7PoXR5xM
— John Mamola (@JohnMamola) July 2, 2025

It is fairly obvious that Brown was not New York’s first (or maybe even second, or third, or fourth) choice. The Knicks attempted to interview several candidates who are currently head coaches with other NBA teams, and all of those requests were denied. There was supposedly mutual interest between the Knicks and Jason Kidd, but Kidd will remain the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Knicks supposedly had their concerns about Thibodeau, but he just led the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. Anything short of the same result under Brown next year is going to invite plenty of criticism.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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