New SMU coach Larry Brown said his primary advice to Mike Woodson is to get along with Knicks owner James Dolan.
Brown said that’s his lone regret from his disastrous season with the Knicks and he believes Woodson won’t make the same mistake. Brown also told The Post yesterday he believes Woodson did the right thing in changing agents from Joe Glass, also Brown’s longtime representative, who sparred with Dolan during the well-publicized contract dispute between the team and Brown in 2006.
Glass had done Woodson’s prior contracts, but The Post reported Dolan requested he make a change.
“At the end of the day, we [have] got to do what’s best for Woody,’’ Brown said. “He’s going to have a long relationship with Dolan and that situation should not affect Mike Woodson. You know how it ended with me. It got heated between Mr. Dolan and Joe. Woody shouldn’t be penalized for that. I tried to tell everybody, the most important thing is to give Woody an opportunity to work for the Knicks.
“During my stay, my biggest problem is I didn’t establish a relationship with Dolan,’’ added Brown, who feuded with former president Isiah Thomas. “I went through the chain of command and that was a mistake. I told Woody, [Dolan] wants to win.’’
Brown first got to know Woodson when he coached him with the Nets. Woodson served under Brown as an assistant in Philadelphia and Detroit, where they won the NBA title in 2004 and Woodson established himself as a defensive guru.
“I’m proud what he did — he did phenomenal for me,’’ Brown said. “He’s a great guy, players love him, he knows how to coach and he’s a loyal guy. It’s a great situation. When the chance came up to work for Mike [D’Antoni], he called me [last summer] and I thought it would be great for him. Unfortunately it was sad Mike’s not there. But it worked out for Mike Woodson.’’
Woodson posted an 18-6 regular-season finish after taking over for D’Antoni, who resigned in March. “He did an amazing job under the circumstances,’’ Brown said. “He held that team together.’’
Brown said if he were still bitter about his Knicks stint, he would never have recommended Woodson take the job.
“I can’t talk about why it happened [his Knicks departure] but it never has been a factor with Woody,’’ Brown said. “I want him there. He loves the team. He loves New York. He loves working with [general manager Glen] Grunwald and Mr. Dolan’s been great to him. When you work in an environment where they want to win and everyone’s pulling together, it’s a great situation to be in.
“If I have bad feelings, why would I want him to work there initially and to continue there,’’ Brown added. “I want him there. It’s great for him, great for the league, great for Mr. Dolan. I told him the owner wants to win badly and you’ll never have a franchise where the fans are more knowledgable and passionate.’’
Woodson played under legendary Knicks coach Red Holzman his rookie year and invokes his name often. Holzman is one of Brown’s idols too, having met him when he was a teenager in Long Beach. Woodson also played for Bob Knight and Cotton Fitzsimmons before learning under Brown.
“If you’re Knick coach and don’t revere what Red did, something’s wrong with you,’’ Brown said. “He has an amazing background with guys who knew how to teach and play the right way.’’
Brown, after being fired by the Bobcats during the 2010-11 season, was hired at SMU this spring and will bring the program into the Big East in 2013-14.
“I get to work with young kids and at a good school and coach in the Big East,’’ said Brown, who formerly had college stints at UCLA and Kansas.