Mike Brown, Coach of Pau Gasol
Mike Brown, coach of Pau Gasol in the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2011-12 season and the beginning of the following campaign, told Efe that the Spaniard "was put in a complicated situation" during that period with the Californian team. "Kobe Bryant was always going to be the big star of the team and it coincided with Andrew Bynum starting to emerge," said the 45-year-old Columbus (Ohio) coach. "It's tough to have three or four players at an elite level, especially when there's a kind of shift between Andrew and Pau," he added.
Pau Gasol: A Talented Player With a Professional Attitude
In any case, Brown had only words of praise for the Catalan power forward. "Pau is a professional and a champion. He is tremendously talented. He can play four or five more years because, although he has never been a great athlete, he has always been a really skilled tall man and smart enough to show it on both sides of the court. I loved coaching him and I love him as a person," he said.
Experience and Reflections on Coaching
After several years as an assistant for the Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, and Indiana Pacers, Brown coached the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2010, reaching an NBA Finals. He was then chosen to succeed Phil Jackson as the head coach of the Lakers, although his experience lasted less than desired.
"I have no regrets," he said. "Logically, I would have liked to have more leeway to do what we needed to win. In the first year, we won the Division and finished third in the West. We lost to Oklahoma in six games, and I believe that if we improved some things, we could have won. It was a successful year," he added.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much time for much more, as the following season, after the acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, he was fired after playing the first five games of the regular season, with a record of one win and four losses.
The Importance of Winning Championships
"What could I have done differently? Win all five? I don't know, maybe I would still have that job now. But in the NBA, you accept the decisions, move on, and hopefully, you hope to get another job. We did good things. It was short, but I'm grateful to have been there," he commented.
He also confessed to enjoying his relationship with Kobe Bryant, for whom winning championships is the most important thing.
Affinity for Competitive Players
"I like being with people like that. As a coach, you don't take anything that happens personally. It's a job, and you try to put the players in the best position to win," said Brown.
"But there are always adversities," he acknowledged. "I like to know what my players think, and Kobe never hid his emotions. That helps in the day-to-day. I have a lot of respect for him," he added.
Continuing Coaching and International Experience
With the other superstar with whom he has worked closely, LeBron James, Brown confesses that they do not maintain contact except when they meet at an event and greet each other.
Brown, who returned to coach the Cavaliers in the 2013-14 season, is currently in Toronto as an assistant for the US national team participating in the 2015 Pan American Games, a group led by Mark Few from Gonzaga University, and with Tad Boyle from the University of Colorado as the other assistant.
"This is my first experience with them. In the past, they asked me if I could lend a hand, but I wanted to spend time with my children. Now they are in college, and it worked out. I thought I could help, learn, and enjoy this international experience," he said.
Goals and Hopes for the Future
US won bronze at the 2011 Pan American Games, a result that does not please the coach.
"When you play or are part of the US team, the goal is always to win gold. I don't care who is on the team, whether it's college players or Development League players. And this time is no different," he firmly stated.
In any case, Brown hopes for another call from the NBA, at least "if the opportunity is right."
In the meantime, he wouldn't be surprised to see the Italian Ettore Messina, whom he brought to the Lakers as a consultant, become a head coach in the NBA.
"I hope it happens. He's very intelligent, a great guy, and a great person. He is more than prepared," he concluded.