Monday, August 12, 2013

Sixers hire Brett Brown

PHILADELPHIA - The Sixers finally have a coach and it's the guy they wanted all along, former San Antonio assistant Brett Brown.

The Sixers and Brown have agreed in principle on a four-year deal, according to an NBA source.

The 52-year-old Brown first joined the Spurs in July of 2002 as an assistant coach/director of player development, and has been on Philadelphia's radar since draft night when Sam Hinkie denied a New York Daily News report claiming Brown would be the guy.

Brown was promoted to one of Gregg Popovich's bench assistants prior to the start of the 2006-07 season and has been a part of three NBA championship teams in San Antonio. Prior to his time in South Texas, Brown spent 14 seasons - nine as a head coach - in the Australia National Basketball League.

There is no word on why the process took so long but many have surmised Brown got cold feet over the Sixers' current situation. A year or two at 20 wins in Philadelphia could quickly turn Brown into a toxic asset and hamper his long-term viability as an NBA head coach.

On the other hand he could have stayed in South Texas and become Popovich's lead assistant for the first time. Mike Budenholzer was Pop's right hand man but left the Spurs to take the Atlanta Hawks head coaching position.

No comments: