Hubie Brown

Lore & Background

Brown joined the New York Knicks in 1982, succeeding long-time coach Red Holzman. He stayed with the Knicks until he was fired in 1986 after starting the season 4–12. After reaching the playoffs in each of Brown's first two seasons, the Knicks plummeted to 24–58 in 1984–85 and 23–59 in 1985–86. Brown left the Knicks at the beginning of the 1986–87 season, succeeded by Bob Hill.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with the low roar of twenty thousand fans in the lower bowl. On the sideline, Hubie Brown paces near the scorer's table, his eyes scanning the court with surgical precision. He isn't just watching; he is dissecting. With a sharp gesture and a raised voice that cuts through the noise, he corrects a defensive rotation, his passion evident in every movement. Decades later, the scene shifts to the quiet of the broadcast booth. The same intensity remains, but now it flows through a headset, translating the chaos of the hardwood into clarity for millions at home.

Reader's Guide

Brown's coaching career began in 1955 at St. Mary Academy in Little Falls, New York. He later coached at Cranford High School, Fair Lawn High School, and served as an assistant at William & Mary and Duke. His first professional head coaching opportunity was with the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA, leading them to the 1975 ABA Championship. He then coached the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, and Memphis Grizzlies, winning NBA Coach of the Year with the Hawks in 1977–78 and with the Grizzlies in 2003–04.

Did You Know?

• Brown called his final game as a television analyst on February 9, 2025.
• He was a teammate and roommate of former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden at Niagara University.
• Brown averaged 13.8 points per game in his brief professional stint with the Rochester Colonels.
• He was the oldest coach in the NBA at age 69 when he took over the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002.