Knicks' Mike Brown Delivers Blunt Message to Former Player De'Aaron Fox
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has several strong connections to his upcoming NBA Finals opponent.
Brown served as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs from 2000-03, helping the franchise to an NBA championship. He also has a strong relationship with Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox, who he coached during his time at the helm for the Sacramento Kings from 2022-24.
Brown was asked about these connections as he prepares his team for an NBA Finals matchup against the Spurs.
“They definitely want to beat me, and I want to kick their [expletive]. I love them, and you can always love them before and after,” Brown explained.
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The Kings’ decision to fire Brown ultimately led to the end of Fox’s career in Sacramento. Fox joined the Spurs via trade midway through the 2024-25 season, and now he’s heading to the NBA finals in his first full campaign with San Antonio.
“I was like, ‘Yo, I’ve been here for going on my eighth year. If Mike gets fired, I’ll be going on my fifth coach,'” Fox told ESPN in 2025. “And I told them, ‘I’m not going to play for another coach. I’m going to play for another team.'”
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The NBA Finals will begin on June 3, starting with Game 1 at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center.
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 2:13 PM.