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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown was discussing center Mitchell Robinson’s shooting woes when another problem occurred: A reporter’s phone rang.
Brown, 56, playfully picked up the phone and spoke, while giving a lecture on the need for journalists to keep their phones on mute.
“No matter what phone it is, you need to do a better job of muting the sound when you get a text message,” Brown said over the phone. “Because when you get a text message, it interrupts the press conference. And people here don’t like the press conference to be interrupted. So, I would appreciate your help next time, regardless of the phone. Thank you. I’m sorry, was there another question?”
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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown watches the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on April 12, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
A reporter intervened and claimed the unmuted phone as his own.
“I’m sorry, coach. I’m guilty,” the reporter said.
“Okay, no problem,” Brown said with a laugh. “You’re a stand-up guy. I like that.”
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» New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown shouts during the first half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors in New York, New York on April 10, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
Brown’s Knicks team took a 1-0 lead against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, winning 113-102. Jalen Brunson (28 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (25 points) led the way in the series-opening victory.
Brown is in his first season as head coach of the Knicks, with the team firing Tom Thibodeau after losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
There is increased pressure on Brown and the Knicks to at least reach the NBA Finals, as team owner James Dolan said in a rare radio interview with WFAN in January.
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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during the second half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on April 6, 2026. (Colin Hubbard/AP)
“I would say we want to go to the final and we should win the final,” Dolan said in the interview. “It’s sport, anything can happen. Getting to the final, we absolutely have to do it. Winning the final, we should do that.”
The Knicks got off to a good start with their win Saturday night, a win Dolan hopes will be the first of 16 games the team wins en route to a title. The Knicks take on the Hawks in Game 2 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
