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New York Knicks: Five winningest head coaches in franchise history

By Rob Wolkenbrod

New York Knicks Red Holzman (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
New York Knicks Red Holzman (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks Hubie Brown (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
New York Knicks Hubie Brown (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The New York Knicks have a long line of head coaches in franchise history. Which five have the most wins of them all?

David Fizdale became the latest head coach of the New York Knicks in 2018. He took them to a 17-65 record, and it was hardly anything that will make a dent in franchise history, aside from tying for the worst record of any Knicks team.

There were more successful seasons beyond him, however, with coaches in place over the past six decades. That includes 50-win seasons and claiming NBA Championships along the way.

Five coaches stand out for this, with four of them well-known NBA figures and still part of the game today, whether as an executive or a broadcaster in the public spotlight.

Who has the most wins of any in franchise history? Dating back to the 1940s, let’s take a look::

5. Hubie Brown: 142

Hubie Brown lasted parts of five seasons with the New York Knicks, from 1982-86. He led a 44-win team to the postseason in his first year and carried it to 47 victories the campaign afterward, including a playoff series accomplishment to add to his resume.

The 1984-85 seasons began his downfall, however, when a 24-58 team stepped onto the court. It had Bernard King average 32.9 points, but he missed 27 games. Pat Cummings, the second leading scorer, did not play in 19 of them. A thin roster played behind them, so it left little at times for Brown to work with.

Then Patrick Ewing walked through the Madison Square Garden doors as the first overall pick of the 1985 NBA Draft, but a 23-win season followed. After a 4-12 start to 1986-87, Brown departed as head coach.

It was not for 15 seasons that Brown returned to coaching the NBA. As a 69 year old, he joined the Memphis Grizzlies, who had recently relocated from Vancouver, Canada. He won 50 games in 2003-04, but resigned from his post 12 games into the ensuing season.

Brown’s Knicks record was 142-202, but given a long history of losing in the Knicks organization, it has him as one of the winningest coaches in the franchise.

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