During his first run as a head coach, Brown took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2006-07, only to get swept by Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. Two seasons later, Brown guided the Cavs to a franchise-record 66 wins and a spot in the Eastern Conference finals, earning him his first Coach of the Year Award.

Mike Brown knows there's going to be pressure that comes with coaching the Knicks​. He's excited about all of it.

Brown, who takes over a Knicks team that reached the Eastern Conference finals before firing head coach Tom Thibodeau in the offseason, said the team's identity will be based on a trust centered around sacrifice, connectivity, competitive spirit and belief in the process and each other.