
OAKLAND – Despite Mike Brown’s reputation around the NBA as a defensive-minded coach, he also knows his way around offense.
So says Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who last week hired Brown to be his top assistant, replacing Luke Walton. The official announcement came Wednesday, with Kerr addressing it Thursday after the introductory news conference for Kevin Durant.
“He’s good on the offensive side, too,” Kerr said of Brown. “His reputation is on the defensive side, but he’s good offensively as well.
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“I feel very comfortable with our staff the way it is and in selecting Mike. He’s different from Alvin. He’s different from Luke. But everybody’s different from each other, and Mike will be a good fit in his own right.”
Brown, 46, is a three-time head coach with a 347-216 record. He coached in Cleveland when LeBron James was a young player, was hired by the Lakers as Kobe Bryant entered the twilight of his career and then went back to the Cavaliers in 2013, lasting only one season.
Brown’s relationship with Kerr, however, dates back to the late 1990s, when both were in San Antonio, Kerr finishing his playing career and Brown starting his coaching career.
“He was great,” Kerr said. “He’s one of my favorite assistant coaches. He fits our culture because he’s very funny; he can laugh at himself.”
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Kerr indicated Brown’s personality as a head coach was submerged by a number of factors, perhaps including headstrong superstars on the roster.
“When he was a head coach, I don’t know how much people saw because he was under fire and the stress of the playoffs and all that stuff,” Kerr said. “But Mike is a hilarious person.
“Humor is a big part of who are. We want our guys to have fun. They’re going to have fun making fun of Mike, and vice versa. And he’s obviously also a very knowledgeable coach. He’s been around for a long time. He’s going to be a great addition.”
The hiring of Brown completes the coaching staff, Kerr said, as Ron Adams and Jarron Collins will be back. There will be at least one more hiring, sometime in the next week or so, as Kerr will bring in a replacement for player development coach Theo Robertson, who was recuited by Walton to join his staff with the Lakers.