After almost 11 years on the Spurs’ bench, coaching alongside Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs’ assistant coach Brett Brown says he’s ready to lead his own NBA team.
Brown got a taste of what it’s like to be in charge this past summer when he was the head coach of the Australian men’s basketball team at the London Olympics.
Brown has gathered a wealth of experience over his years as an assistant with the Spurs, but he says nothing compares to being the lead dog.
"The excitement of running your own program again and being a head coach again was exciting because of the responsibility," said Brown. "You live a little bit quicker life. Things are a little bit more significant in your own eyes because you're the person responsible."
As if Brown’s resume isn’t enough, he also has a raving endorsement from Coach Pop, who says Brown’s time as the Australian head coach was even beneficial for the Spurs.
"The experience that he got over there doing that is great for him," Popovich said. "It's certainly added something to our program. There are things we picked up that he did during the Olympics that we've added to our offense and that kind of thing. It's been a real plus."
"He should get his own gig somewhere," Popovich added. "That's for sure."
The Spurs would surely hate to see Brown go, but it definitely looks like he’s ready. Brown’s time leading the Australian team has given him a desire to finally take the reins as a head coach in the NBA.
"It does whet your appetite," Brown said. "You also realize that it's two entirely different jobs, being an assistant coach and being a head coach. That's the competitive edge, the competitive spirit, the pride of trying to do a good job and the challenge of putting a program together."