‘New York City is full of dogs’: Knicks head coach Mike Brown has message for NYC after winning NBA Title originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A year ago, the New York Knicks were looking for a new head coach, owning a talented roster that was continually fizzling out in the playoffs.
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After kicking the tires on sitting coaches such as Jason Kidd, the Knicks’ search ended with a veteran coach who had led many superstars in his career: Mike Brown. But part of the reason Brown was available at the time was his own checkered playoff history. He had reached the Finals but never won a title.
Fast-forward to Saturday night, and Brown stood on the Larry O’Brien trophy presentation stage in San Antonio, smiling and leading his championship-winning team in singing “Who Let the Dogs Out” on ESPN.
Here’s a look at Brown’s moment with his Knicks players after securing a title and a look at his journey to New York.
MORE:How Knicks snapping 53-year drought compares to most emotional sports titles
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Mike Brown postgame message
Brown, in his first year, guided the Knicks to a long-awaited title, accomplishing the goal he set out for by taking the job in 2025. After New York took down San Antonio in Game 5, Brown and the Knicks took the stage for the trophy presentation.
When it was Brown’s turn to talk to Ernie Johnson, who referenced the coach’s past Finals loss, Brown didn’t even respond to the question — he was too busy joining his players in singing “Who Let the Dogs Out.”
“We got some dogs on this team, baby!” Brown yelled. “New York City is full of dogs, and we came to get it!”
That chant grew into a theme for the Knicks. When Brown took the podium to begin the Finals, he was also on the microphone belting out “Who Let The Dogs Out.”
MORE: Inside Jalen Brunson’s Finals MVP performance
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Mike Brown contract details
SNY’s Ian Begley reported when Brown signed his deal with the Knicks in July 2025 that the coach agreed to a four-year, $40 million contract.
Per Sportico, Brown’s $10 million in AAV ranked eighth among all NBA coaches in 2025-26.
MORE: Details on Knicks championship parade plans
Why did Knicks hire Mike Brown?
Brown had plenty of time to consider his coaching future by the time last summer arrived. He had been dismissed as the coach of the Kings early in the 2024-25 season, ending a stint that saw him lead Sacramento back to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, the longest drought in NBA history, while winning Coach of the Year in 2022-23.
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On one hand, by 2025, Brown had developed a terrific reputation for his work as an energetic player’s coach who had guided the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as a head coach, along with Tim Duncan, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant as an assistant. With an offensive focus, Brown’s teams always had a high floor, including his work in making the Kings relevant again.
However, despite his long track record and plenty of playoff appearances, Brown faced some questions over his ability to lead a title-level team. The furthest run he had ever made as a head coach was with the 2007 Cavaliers, who were swept in the Finals by the Spurs — so when the Knicks wound up focusing their search on Brown, they weren’t bringing in championship pedigree.
It wound up being a perfect match: a franchise seeking its first title in 53 years and a coach seeking his first title after 11 seasons at the helm of various good teams. New York hired Brown to organize the team’s offense into an elite one, amplify the star power of Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, and remain a motivator for a team full of unique personalities.
The hire will go down as one of the best in NBA history, with Brown and the Knicks hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy on Saturday