9. Mike Brown, Sacramento Kings
Mike Brown did something last season that no other coach has done in the previous 17 years – lead the Sacramento Kings to the NBA playoffs. The former Golden State Warriors assistant had a reputation for being a defensive-minded coach who preferred his offense to be slow-paced. Not anymore.
Mike Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year. Brown’s regular season winning percentage (.612) is third among active head coaches. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to back-to-back 60-win seasons and led a team to the NBA Finals. Brown also went 12-0 as the Warriors’ acting head coach during the 2017 Playoffs while Steve Kerr was out dealing with a bad back.
Brown has struggled to make adjustments in the past, and that’s been one of the biggest strikes against his resumé. Perhaps he’s turned a corner in the area, but there’s no question he has something good cooking in Sacramento.