Former New York Knicks coach Hubie Brown is once again bound for the Hall of Fame.
The 91-year-old is part of the 10-member Class of 2024 set to be inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame later this December. Brown is set to embark on another season of broadcasting with ESPN’s NBA coverage.
Brown amassed 528 wins as an ABA/NBA boss, including 142 at the helm of the Knicks (1982-87). Since then, he has been a mainstay at NBA broadcasting tables, including those of USA, CBS, TNT, and his current stance with the Worldwide Leader. Brown has been on the mike for 18 editions of the NBA Finals, calling two on CBS (1989-90), two on ABC (2005-06, the latter alongside current Knicks voice Mike Breen) and 15 on national radio (1978, 2007-19).
In addition to his time at the Knicks’ helm, Brown has also led the Kentucky Colonels, Atlanta Hawks, and Memphis Grizzlies into battle and he won an ABA title with Kentucky in 1975. Brown guided the Knicks to playoff series victories in his first two seasons but major injuries to Patrick Ewing and Bernard King stifled further progress.
Brown was previously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2005 before landing the same invite from the College Basketball Hall of Fame a year later.
One of Brown’s first forays last season was the Knicks’ nationally televised showdown against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Brown made it clear that his five-decade journey was not accomplished alone in an interview with Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post.
“You’re doing this with other people, who are not getting the attention that they deserve for their contributions as you reach a high,” Brown said. “In Kentucky, (or when) we turned around the youngest team in the NBA at the time in Atlanta. We go to the Knicks and we have eight new players out of 12 and we’re right at the top. We take over the Grizzlies, who never won more than 22 games in Vancouver or Memphis, and then in the second year, we won 50 games.”
“You can’t do that unless you have teachers with you, and they all buy into the team. It’s just like your players. Everyone has to buy into the accountability fact every day. That’s preparation and participation. We’re not gonna accept anything less than that.”
Joining Brown in the new class are former Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” host Bryant Gumbel, current “Thursday Night Football” commentator Andrea Kremer, and late ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen.
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