When the New York Knicks hired Mike Brown as their new head coach, the response was inevitably divided. New York is looking to make the leap from Conference Finalists to champions, and Brown hasn't yet achieved that dream in a lead position.
If there's one player who should be thrilled about Brown's arrival, however, it's superstar point guard Jalen Brunson—a player whom the new head coach can help win MVP.
Brown has produced an impressive NBA career as a head coach, going 454-304 in the regular season and 50-40 in the playoffs. He's coached superstars, players on the rise, and everyone in between, each time revealing an intriguing ability to connect with his point guards and primary playmakers.
Some examples are can't-miss players such as LeBron James or a rising Kyrie Irving, but there's an intriguing sample size of Brown getting the best out of his point guards.
The two shining examples can be found during Brown's tenures with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings. Ramon Sessions' brief run with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011-12 deserves mention, as well, but Brown's time with the Cavaliers and Kings showcased his value to the Knicks.
In each of those instances, Brown brought All-Star and All-NBA versions out of players who had perhaps toed the line but never reached the next level—suggesting Brunson can tap into his own potential.
Jalen Brunson has found a point guard whisperer in Mike Brown
Rewind the time to 2008-09 and Brown helped Mo Williams secure the first and only All-Star Game selection of his career. Williams averaged a career-best 17.8 points per game, shooting the lights out along the way at a clip of .467/.436/.912.
It was an early indication of how Brown can connect with productive scoring guards and enable them to thrive within his system.
The greatest example of how Brown has helped a star point guard reach the next level is De'Aaron Fox. Fox secured his first and only All-NBA and All-Star nods under Brown, averaging 25.0 points and 6.1 assists while shooting an eye-opening 51.2 percent from the field.
Fox actually increased elements of his production the following season under Brown, posting a career-best 26.6 points and 2.9 three-point field goals made per game.
In addition to reaching peak volume levels, Fox shot 36.9 percent from beyond the arc—a significant jump from his career mark of 33.0 percent. Fox and Brown unfortunately had a reported falling out in 2024-25, but the results they produced can't be glossed over.
The Kings went 48-34 in 2022-23 and 46-36 in 2023-24—thus breaking a 17-year postseason drought and posting their highest win totals since 2004-05.
Mike Brown's history with De'Aaron Fox, Mo Williams a promising sign
For Brunson, that should paint the picture of Brown being the perfect coach to bring the best out of him. Not only does he have a history of bringing efficiency out of his players, but helping them improve their volume while contributing to winning.
In New York, Brown will have arguably the best team he's ever coached as far as the depth of the top-end talent on the roster is concerned.
Moreover, there's a case to be made that Brunson is the best point guard Brown has ever coached. Irving was in his third NBA season when he played for Brown, Williams never reached the All-NBA level, and Brunson versus Fox seemingly leans in the former's favor.
With this in mind, Fox reaching All-NBA status paints the picture of Brunson having a realistic shot at attaining an even higher level of success—namely MVP.
New York is a heavy favorite in an Eastern Conference that expects drop-offs from the injury-plagued Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. If it finishes as the No. 1 seed in the East, and Brunson continues to build upon his already world-class production, MVP will be a realistic goal.
Considering Brown's history of bringing the best out of his score-first point guards, it's safe to believe Brunson's MVP dreams are realistic.