Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is not bitter about his firing. Brown told Yahoo.com reporter Mark Spears that he understands the business and he is thankful that team owner Dan Gilbert took a chance on him five years ago. But Brown said he would have wanted at least one more crack at a championship, with LeBron James. Brown said...
LeBron James and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown.Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is not bitter about his firing. Brown told Yahoo.com reporter Mark Spears that he understands the business and he is thankful that team owner Dan Gilbert took a chance on him five years ago.
But Brown said he would have wanted at least one more crack at a championship, with LeBron James. Brown said the team was that close.
But how close was Brown and James? Many believed the two didn't have a good relationship, and that James had a role in Brown’s firing.
“There wasn’t anything negative between him and me,” Brown said. “There was nothing between him and me. We had a player-coach relationship. That’s it. Situations like that where you are out early in the playoffs are always hard. There were a lot of ups and downs, strains.
“I had a great time coaching him. I felt like one of the luckiest coaches in the world. … Coaching LeBron was unique in itself. If he’s not the best, he is one of the best to ever play the game.”
Also in the article, Brown told Spears he had no problem with James choosing to play for the Heat. He just wishes James would have delivered the news to Cleveland fans with a little more grace.
“I feel for the fans in Cleveland,” Brown said. “They are so emotionally attached. When anything happens, it’s a big punch in the gut. They take it hard.”
Brown has returned to coaching. He's an assistant football coach for the Westlake Lee Burneson Middle School team that his 13-year-old son, Cameron, plays on. Spears also reports the Cavs are paying Brown the $4.5 million he was due this season over the next six years.
Brown's oldest son Elijah is a sophomore guard on St. Edward’s High School team. So would Brown like to coach in the NBA again?
“I’d love to coach again,” Brown said. “I miss being on the sidelines.”