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Knicks appear to have a favorite as head coaching search continues

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Dylan Backer | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 4:10 PM ET

The New York Knicks’ head coaching search has officially stretched into the start of free agency, but a frontrunner seems to have finally emerged in their month-long hunt.

Mike Brown has emerged as the frontrunner in the Knicks’ head coaching search

According to Frank Isola, former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown has emerged as the front runner to land the job as Knicks head coach. It was recently reported that Brown was heading for a second round of interviews after making a strong first impression.

“Jason Kidd was the No. 1 target – and until the Knicks name a coach you can’t entirely rule him out – but Mike Brown is emerging as the front runner,” Isola posted on X.

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Brown has been one of the top head coach candidates for New York since the team fired Tom Thibodeau earlier this month. The Knicks have also interviewed Taylor Jenkins, Micah Nori, and James Borrego regarding the position.

Brown was the head coach of the Kings for the past three seasons before he was fired halfway through this past season. In 2023, he led the team back to the postseason off a 48-win regular season and won the league’s Coach of the Year award.

Brown’s resume makes him a strong candidate

In addition, he coached the Cleveland Cavaliers for six seasons, five of which came during LeBron James’ first stint in Cleveland. Brown helped lead them to playoff appearances in each of his first five seasons with them, including an NBA Finals appearance in 2007.

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Brown’s extensive resume makes him a very strong candidate to be the Knicks’ next head coach. The team has been wanting an experienced coach who can help them take the next step after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals this past season.

The goal for them now is to win a championship, and it would appear that they feel strongly about Brown’s ability to raise their ceiling. Ultimately, more will be known about the head coaching search in the coming days, but a favorite seems to have finally emerged.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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