Knicks’ Mike Brown gets brutally honest about facing Spurs in NBA Finals

He may not openly admit it, but New York Knicks coach Mike Brown probably would have wanted a different opponent in the NBA Finals aside from the San Antonio Spurs.

Not because he is afraid of the Spurs, but because of his ties to the organization. He got his big break in San Antonio as a deputy under then-coach Gregg Popovich, winning a championship in 2003.

From there, he rose through the ranks, becoming a two-time Coach of the Year. Brown has often credited Popovich and the Spurs for helping build his career.

Now, he will try to destroy them in the NBA Finals, and the 56-year-old tactician cannot wait to battle his former squad, which includes De’Aaron Fox, whom he handled on the Sacramento Kings. After all, when the ball goes up, friendships are set aside.

“They definitely want to beat me, and I want to kick their ass. I love them, and you can always love them before and after,” said Brown in a video posted by SNY.

"They definitely want to beat me, and I want to kick their ass. I love them, and you can always love them before and after."

Mike Brown on if it’s hard to separate his Spurs connections and De’Aaron Fox ahead of the NBA Finals

(via @sny_knicks)pic.twitter.com/nOFn0D81v8

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 1, 2026

Popovich is now the Spurs’ president of basketball operations, passing the baton to coach Mitch Johnson, who, like Brown, started as an assistant and climbed the ladder.

Meanwhile, Brown and Fox built a strong bond during their time in Sacramento, leading the team to a memorable run to end a 17-year drought in the playoffs.

Brown, in his first season in the Big Apple, is looking to steer the Knicks to their first title since 1973.

He is looking to become just the 10th coach in NBA history to win a championship in his first year with the franchise and join Eddie Gottlieb, Buddy Jeannette, John Kundla, George Senesky, Paul Westhead, Pat Riley, Steve Kerr, Tyronn Lue, and Nick Nurse.

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