"He's not a leader of men": Matt Barnes takes brutal shot at Knicks coach Mike Brown by bringing up the past

Former NBA player Matt Barnes recently shared his thoughts on Mike Brown’s upcoming tenure with the New York Knicks, drawing from his own experience playing under Brown during the 2011-12 season with the LA Lakers.

In last Wednesday’s episode of the Straight Game Podcast and All The Smoke crossover show, Barnes was asked whether he thought Brown could succeed in New York, a franchise now carrying championship-or-bust expectations after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau.

Barnes expressed cautious optimism but also didn’t shy away from his concerns.

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“The one thing about Mike Brown is that the first year is always good,” Barnes said. “Mike is a great person. He’s just, to me, not a leader of men. I couldn’t imagine it now because these kids are making so much money. You have to have their respect.”

He went on to say that Brown’s biggest flaw is being “too nice,” suggesting that his desire to be friendly with players sometimes keeps him from asserting control.

Barnes even recalled a moment from their Lakers days when Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest openly defied Brown’s authority.

“I tell you, and rest in peace to my dog Kobe (Bryant), he and Ron Artest, they walked all over that motherf**ker. They used to sub themselves in and out of games. I’m just like, ‘Oh, s**t.’”

Matt Barnes thinks Mike Brown better as an assistant coach

Matt Barnes believes Brown may have evolved since then, crediting his time under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors. However, Barnes said he believes Brown thrives more as an assistant than as a head coach.

“I think Mike is a great assistant coach,” Barnes said. “I wish him the best, but I’ve seen it firsthand. In Sacramento, his first year, he came in, brought the Golden State system, they made the playoffs for the first time, … and then he lost the respect of the team quickly. “So now you’re going to a New York media market that’s gonna try to eat you up for every mistake. Mike is a good guy; I just don’t think the situation is going to work, because he’s too nice for his own good.”

Brown began his coaching career as an assistant with the Washington Wizards (1997-99) and the San Antonio Spurs (2000-03), winning an NBA title with San Antonio in 2003.

He later served as associate head coach for the Indiana Pacers (2003-05) before becoming head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-10), where he earned the 2009 NBA Coach of the Year award.

After brief stints with the LA Lakers (2011-12) and a return to Cleveland (2013-14), Brown joined the Golden State Warriors (2016-22) as an assistant under Kerr, winning three championships and also coaching the Nigerian national team (2020-21).

He was then hired as head coach of the Sacramento Kings (2022-24), leading them to the playoffs and winning his second Coach of the Year award in 2023. Brown now takes over the New York Knicks, stepping into one of basketball’s toughest coaching markets.

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro