Brown was hired as the Cavs’ new head coach on June 2, 2005, for the first time. He came back in 2013, but that’s another story. Twenty years ago, Brown became an NBA head coach for the first time. Twenty-years later,

The New York Knicks surprised some around the NBA when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, but his replacement had nothing but praise for him on Tuesday.

Five years ago, it was on a zoom call that the Knicks front office introduced Tom Thibodeau, the hand-picked leader tasked with turning around the franchise. Now, it is Mike Brown in person, announced in a statement with praise from the team president and the Madison Square Garden Chairman.

The Knicks interviewed Borrego during their search for a head coach and eyed him as a potential lead assistant for Mike Brown.

The Mike Brown era began on Tuesday with the Knicks’ new head coach laying out his expectations for the organization and emphasizing the importance of forming a partnership with team president Leon Rose.