Phoenix Suns coach explains NBA broadcasting 'legend' Hubie Brown's influence on career

Phoenix Suns coach explains NBA broadcasting ‘legend’ Hubie Brown’s influence on career

Posted by author February 11, 2025 NBA

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For 53 years, Hubie Brown has impacted coaching in the modern NBA and the art of color commentating covering games since the advent of cable television.

Phoenix Sun coach Mike Budenholzer smiled at their practice Monday when he raved about the 91-year-old Brown as “one of my favorite people in the league” and a “legend.”

Brown called his final game in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 135-127 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday on ABC. As the league heavily marketed Brown’s send-off before his retirement, he received much gratitude from players, coaches, fellow broadcasters and fans at the game and on social media.

“Hubie ‘Coach’ Brown has been I think a huge influence on so many coaches, so many players, too,” Budenholzer said.

During the Bucks-Sixers game, ABC showed an astonishing statistical graphic about Brown’s omnipresence. He’s coached against and broadcast games involving 80% of all players in NBA history.

“I never thought about that,” Brown said to his play-by-play partner Mike Breen in response to that graphic.

Since the early 1980s, Brown’s called games for USA Network, CBS, TNT, NBC, ESPN and ESPN’s parent company ABC.

Brown retold his three broadcast philosophies during the Buck-Sixers game: “Never underestimate the IQ of the viewer,” “Never use the language of love with the audience,” and “Make sure that you give them context so that they improve their game” for players and coaches tuning in.

It was befitting that Brown called that particular game as a full-circle moment in his NBA career. He entered the league in 1972 when he transitioned as a former Duke assistant coach to the same job with the Bucks, and stayed in Milwaukee for two years. That team was led by Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and 1971 league MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who changed his name from Lew Alcindor prior to the 1971-72 season.

Brown also coached in the 1970s ABA, had a five-year stint with the New York Knicks from 1982-87, and earned the NBA Coach of the Year honors twice as the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies coach in 1979 and 2004, respectively. One of the Suns’ current assistant coaches, James Posey, played under Brown in Memphis.

Budenholzer is the Suns’ other connection to Brown via Milwaukee. Before Budenholzer became Phoenix’s coach in May 2024, he led his previous team Milwaukee to beat Phoenix in the 2021 NBA Finals.

“His attention to detail, understanding the game at a high level, the pregame conversations with him about that day’s game, the questions he would ask — the statistical and analytical questions,” Budenholzer said about Brown.

“Just being around him, you always learn and grow. He’s one of my favorite people in the league. He’s a legend. I think the sport is forever grateful for everything he’s done for players and coaches in the sports, and broadcasting. So yes, he’s given me a lot of nuggets,” Budenholzer added.

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