NBA: Power ranking all 30 head coaches heading into the 2024-25 season

11. Mike Brown, Sacramento Kings

Mike Brown got his head-coaching start at the age of 35 during the 2005-06 season as the Cleveland Cavaliers searched for a new leader in the early days of the LeBron James era. Alongside LeBron, Brown emerged as one of the better young coaches in the league. Leading to the Cavs to five straight playoff appearances, and one NBA Finals berth, Brown's career got off to an excellent start. However, the narrative around him began to change after two difficult seasons as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011-12 and then back with the Cavs during the 2013-14 campaign.

Those two inconsistent seasons led to Brown having to work his way back to a head-coaching position. After taking two years off from the NBA, Brown worked as an assistant coach at Golden State for six years before getting another head coaching shot with the Sacramento Kings.

Over the past two seasons, Brown has reinvigorated the franchise and has quieted the past negative narratives on his career. For the first time in his career, Brown has found real success without LeBron and, perhaps most importantly, has rediscovered his voice as a head coach in the NBA.