In his one season coaching the Knicks, Larry Brown rode a rookie named Nate Robinson like nobody before. He called him a “highlight reel” and mocked him when he won the 2006 Slam Dunk title.
But Brown’s preaching ultimately made Robinson better. Robinson, who returned to the lineup last after a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle and scored 20 points in the 114-105 loss to the Bobcats, still credits Brown for teaching him more than any coach in the NBA.
Yesterday, Brown returned the favor and said Robinson should be considered for Sixth Man of the Year. Robinson is averaging 17.6 ppg in 30 minutes per game. He has started just seven times.
“They vote for Sixth Man of the Year, you have to consider him,” Brown said last night before his Bobcats faced the Knicks at the Garden. “Especially if you make the playoffs, which is a pretty significant thing.”
It sure is, considering the Knicks posted a 23-59 record last season and a 23-59 record three years ago, when Brown ran the club into the ground. Now he has the Bobcats in playoff contention, battling the Knicks for the eighth seed.
Asked if he takes pride in seeing Robinson’s growth, Brown, who thought Robinson deserved to be in the D-League as a rookie, said, “I don’t understand this riding. I tried to coach him like I tried to coach everybody. He’s had a lot of success since I left.”
Brown, who has his brother Herb Brown on his staff as well as former Knicks assistants Dave Hanners and Phil Ford, coached David Lee and Robinson as rookies. Both of their rookie contracts are expiring and they will be restricted free agents.
“Isiah (Thomas) wanted me to play David at the 3 to get him on the court more,” Brown said. “I always thought that would be a tough position. I never imagined he’d be a center in our league, playing so effectively. That’s because Mike’s done a phenomenal job using all those guys.”
Brown, who feuded with Thomas, credited him for selecting Wilson Chandler, Robinson and Lee, all late in the first round.
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Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni knew Chuck Daly when Daly was an assistant coach at Duke. Daly tried to recruit D’Antoni to Duke. Walsh was an assistant coach at South Carolina when Daly was at Duke. Both Walsh and Brown knew of Daly’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer couple of weeks ago.
“Great coach, better guy,” Brown said.