Greener pastures

Brown resigns from Sixers, can pursue other jobs

Larry Brown had been contemplating stepping down since Philadelphia lost its second-round playoff series to Detroit in six games. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Larry Brown resigned as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday after six often-turbulent seasons, saying the decision "has been coming for a long time."

Brown, a Hall of Famer and one of basketball's most well-traveled coaches, could be a candidate for coaching vacancies in Cleveland, Houston and elsewhere. He said the 76ers have released him from a contractual clause that prohibited him from coaching another NBA team if he left Philadelphia prematurely. Brown had two years left in his contract.

Brown's job with the Sixers was his longest tenure with any team in his 31-year coaching career. He led the team to the playoffs five straight years, including the 2001 NBA Finals, and is to coach the U.S. men's national team this summer at an Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.

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The 62-year-old Brown had been contemplating stepping down since Philadelphia lost its second-round playoff series to the Detroit Pistons in six games. The Sixers overcame a mediocre start, won 23 of their final 33 games and finished 48-34.

But after beating New Orleans in six games in the first round, the Sixers couldn't get past the top-seeded Pistons, losing twice in overtime and once on a last-second shot that was goaltended.

"This has been coming for a long time," Brown said at a news conference. "I said to everybody I didn't want to hold this franchise back. I kind of thought in the middle of the season that we needed a change, a fresh look. And that's been on my mind awhile.

"We had a good run. I think it's time to get somebody else in here to maybe give a fresh look. I didn't want to hold this franchise back and I felt by staying here, I'd do that."

What can Brown do Larry Brown's career coaching record Year  Team  W  L  Pct  Pro   72-73  Carolina (ABA)  57  27  .679  73-74  Carolina (ABA)  47  37  .560  74-75  Denver (ABA)  65  19  .774  75-76  Denver (ABA)  60  24  .714  76-77  Denver (NBA)  50  32  .610  77-78  Denver  48  34  .585  78-79  Denver  28  25  .528  81-82  New Jersey  44  38  .557  82-83  New Jersey  47  29  .618  88-89  San Antonio  21  61  .256  89-90  San Antonio  56  26  .683  90-91  San Antonio  55  27  .671  91-92  San Antonio  21  17  .553  91-92  LA Clippers  23  12  .657  92-93  LA Clippers  41  41  .500  93-94  Indiana  47  35  .573  94-95  Indiana  52  30  .634  95-96  Indiana  52  30  .634  96-97  Indiana  39  43  .476  97-98  Philadelphia  31  51  .378  98-99  Philadelphia  28  22  .560  99-00  Philadelphia  49  33  .598  00-01  Philadelphia  56  26  .683  01-02  Philadelphia  43  39  .524  02-03  Philadelphia  48  34  .585  Totals  1108  792  .583  College   1979-80  UCLA  22  10  .688  1980-81  UCLA  20  7  .741  1983-84  Kansas  22  10  .688  1984-85  Kansas  26  8  .765  1985-86  Kansas  35  4  .897  1986-87  Kansas  25  11  .694  1987-88  Kansas-x  27  11  .711  Totals  177  61  .744  x-won national championship

LeBron James, expected to go to the Cavaliers with the top pick in the NBA draft on June 26, said he would be happy if Brown ended up in Cleveland.

Brown came to Philadelphia in 1997, taking over a perennial loser that hadn't been to the playoffs since 1991. With help from then-president Pat Croce, Brown turned the Sixers from a laughingstock franchise into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

In 2000-01, Brown led the Sixers to a 56-26 record and first place in the East. Philadelphia advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in 18 years before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

Brown won the NBA's Coach of the Year honors that season, the only time he won the award. Brown was Coach of the Year in the ABA three times in four seasons.

Brown had a contentious relationship with Allen Iverson, but the two worked together despite several disputes.

At one point, the All-Star guard nearly was traded to Detroit. A few times, Brown came close to leaving, and once had to be talked out of quitting by Croce and general manager Billy King.

Brown twice considered the possibility of returning to coach his alma mater, North Carolina -- both in 2000 when Matt Doherty was hired, and again when the Tar Heels were looking for a replacement in April.

Brown compiled a record of 879-685 in the NBA, and 1,285-853 overall, including ABA and college.

Brown won an NCAA national championship with Kansas in 1988. He became the first coach to take six NBA teams to the playoffs when the Sixers made it in 1999.

The Sixers were 255-205 under Brown, and 26-30 in the playoffs.

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"I think Larry Brown is a great teacher if we can get him," James said during an interview at halftime of TNT's broadcast of the San Antonio-Dallas playoff game Sunday night. "I consider myself a student of the game, so Larry Brown would be great."

Brown has had winning records in 27 of his 31 seasons as a head coach on the professional and collegiate levels. He finished first in his division six times and reached the Eastern Conference finals three times.

Brown has also coached the Denver Nuggets (five years), Indiana Pacers (four years), San Antonio Spurs (3 1/2 years), New Jersey Nets and ABA Carolina Cougars (each two years) and the Clippers (18 months).

A three-time All-Star guard in the ABA, Brown is the only U.S. male to play and coach in the Olympics.

Brown's team for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico includes Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan and Iverson. The team will try to win one of three spots in the 2004 Olympics for nations from the FIBA-Americas zone.

 

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