"It has my name on it, but I wish it can have everybody else’s too" - Mike Brown credits entire Kings staff as he wins Coach of the Year

Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown won the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year award on Wednesday. Brown received 100 out of a possible 100 first-place votes, making him the first unanimous winner of the award. Brown led the Kings to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, in his first season with the team.

Sacramento finished 48-34 (third in the West) after finishing just 30-52 (12th in the West) last season. Brown was very humble upon receiving the award, sharing the credit with the Kings’ coaching staff, players, medical staff and front office:

“It’s humbling. I’ve been around long enough to know that these awards don’t come around often,” Brown said. "You can’t take them for granted because you don’t know if you’re ever gonna be in this position again.

“But, you know, I truly believe this. I have an amazing staff. I’m around a lot of amazing people, starting with our players. Our front office has been great. Matina has delivered anything that we needed. Monty and Wes, they assembled a fantastic team.

Brown also admitted the Kings were lucky with injuries this season.

“I’ve said this too, during the course of the year, you have to be organized. You have to want to compete and be able to compete. But you also have to be healthy while having to sprinkle a little bit of luck in all those areas.

“And Jas and his group, our medical performance team, they’re the best in the league. You know, my coaches, they helped me keep us all organized. They’re extremely good. I got probably four or five guys out there who could be head coaches right now. And our players, I mean, they compete their butt off. Their competitive spirit is off the charts, and it shows every time we step on the floor.”

Brown then reiterated that he wishes he could share the award with everyone in the Kings organization who helped make it possible:

“So with all that said, it has my name on it, but I wish it can have everybody else’s on there too. Because this is definitely a group effort that the organization won,” Brown said.

This marks the second time that Mike Brown has won COTY. Brown previously received the award when he led the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 record in the 2008-09 season.

Mike Brown on the Sacramento Kings’ game plan against Golden State in first-round matchup

Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown

The Sacramento Kings are 2-0 up in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors. Speaking briefly about his game plan ahead of Game 3, Mike Brown explained that he has been urging Sacramento to play with physicality and pace:

“I told our guys this. We need to control two things,” Brown said.

“We need to control our level of physicality, and that has to be up from the regular season, because we weren't good in that area, and then I said we have to play with pace. So I've been yelling at our guys that we have to be doing the two P's.”

Game 3 between the Kings and Warriors will take place on Thursday.