Hubie Brown taught basketball from bench to stand with aplomb

On February 8, 2025By Littum

An ode to Hubie Brown …

Come on, he’s one of the best NBA analysts we’ve seen and heard in this league. What you have to love is his enthusiasm for the basketball ball. Here is a guy who wants to talk about modern X’s and O’s and give you a coaching clinic about how the game was played in the 1950s. Come on, how much do we love to hear Hubie Brown Call NBA game? Of course we do. He is a basketball hall of Famer, one of the best this league has ever seen.

Cadence and style are imiteable, but Hubie Brown is incomparable when it comes to basketball knowledge, enthusiasm, respect and long life.

On Sunday, 91-year-old Brown calls his last NBA game -Philadelphia 76ers on Milwaukee Bucks together with play-by-play-voice Mike Breen.

“He has had as much influence on NBA fans as any player or coach,” Breen told the US Today Sports. “I really think no one who has ever gone on this planet has learned basketball more than Hubie has. He is the most important teacher in the game Basketball who has ever been. “

If not a national treasure, brown, Introduced in Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005is an NBA treasure.

Brown, who rejected most requests for interviews that led to his last broadcast, played basketball, coached basketball in high school (starting in 1955!), College and professional level and has spent the past 52 years involved in NBA and ABA as a coach or advertiser. Brown was a teenager in the NBA’s first season in 1946, and he joined the NBA as assistant coach for Bucks in 1972.

“No one breaks down the finer points in basketball better than Hubie Brown. He is the ultimate teacher in the game and an iconic figure for generations of NBA fans. We congratulate Hubie with one of the most extraordinary careers in the league’s history. ” – NBA commissioner Adam Silver

His first NBA Head Trainer Job was with Atlanta Hawks in 1976 after spending two seasons with Abas Kentucky -Oberst. He also spent four-Plus seasons with New York Knicks, who fired him in the middle of a 4-12 start to the 1986-87 season. That’s when he started his TV career.

However, Brown had not finished coaching. Memphis Grizzlies hired him in 2002 because of his ability to teach and get this: He was NBA coach in the year of 1977-78 and 2003-04.

There are a few generations of NBA fans who only know Brown through TV announcing. He joined ABC/ESPN in 2004 and has called more than 600 games. He was the network’s TV or radio voice for 18 NBA finals.

His ability to observe, break down the game, translate it and forward with his trademark supply is resonating with viewers and colleagues.

“You can feel and hear it in his voice how much he loves the game,” Breen said. “He explained it where someone who followed the league all their lives, and someone who recently began to see could understand what he is saying. He appealed to any type of NBA fan.

“And the best part is that he just never said the obvious. He didn’t just tell you what you saw. He told you why you saw it and he did it in such a knowledgeable way that you just felt you were in class every time. “

Together with Mike Tirico and Dave Pasch, Breen has called most games with Brown on ESPN/ABC and requested to make Brown’s last match.

“We are grateful for Hubie’s immense contribution to ESPN. The credibility and authority he has brought has lifted our NBA coverage as he is educated and entertained fans through his unmistakable style. With six decades in the sport between coaching and television spread, maybe no one has ever been more devoted to the basketball match than Hubie, and we are happy to celebrate him as he then deserves richly on February 9. ” – ESPN – President Jimmy Pitaro

Brown began coaching in the 1950s when the game was played dramatically differently. He was updated with the style of that time and avoided stale tropes about how the game used to be played.

“I never remember saying,” Back in the sixties they did better, “Breen said. “All he did was appreciate the work and commitment of the current players and the current coaches. He knew how difficult it was to succeed in the league, no matter what type of style was the current style. He knew how hard it was to be the best in the world, play against the best in the world and try to win. He never took it for granted.

“And he never thought ever one way was better than another way. And again, it’s just because of his love (of) the game – the competition, the strategy, the individual talent and thought the game. It was just a part of What did it do so well.

Advertising of crews meets with head coaches before tips to discuss game plans. The information collected helps them provide insight during the broadcast. Breen cherishes these meetings.

“It was one of the big parts of the job because you wanted to go into some of these meetings and you could tell that the coach might be a little frightened and nervous because he has to talk basketball with Hubie Brown, “Said Breen. “And Hubie was very direct. He had his specific questions and the coaches could tell by the questions, ‘Oh my goodness, he knows my team as well as I do.’ It was fascinating to see the respect they had for him and the players, too. “

Breen remembered to make a game last season between New York and San Antonio. It was a while since Brown had called a Spurs game.

“Gregg Popovich comes into the room and they had not seen each other in several years and the two embraced them,” Breen said. “We have tears in our eyes, these two men – giants of the game – with this beautiful, warm embrace that lasted a very long time. It was something I will never forget. I still get strangled when I think about it. “

Popovich had a stroke in November. Last year, Brown’s wife, Claire and son died, Brendan. At 91, the time is measured with a discerning eye on mortality.

“Hubie Brown means everything to basketball – and he has meant everything to those of us who have had the privilege of calling him a colleague and a friend. Being in the presence of basketball greatness can be scary, but because of Hubie’s love for the game and his willingness to share it with everyone who wants to learn, working with him has been one of the highlights of my career. Hubie is hangers. I can’t think of one without the other. ” – ESPN -Reporter Lisa Salters

Brown wants as little fanfare as possible on Sunday, and Breen can accommodate to some extent.

“I promised him that we would analyze the game. He can analyze the game, ”Breen said. “We want to talk about all the things that Bucks and Sixers do right and do wrong because that’s all he wants. He is not interested in getting people to honor him. …

“But I also said to him, ‘Listen, you just have to tackle it because everyone needs to tell you how much they love you.’ So he’s prepared for it. “

Follow NBA -Reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @Jeffzillgitt

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