Former Boomers coach Brett Brown has toughest coaching job in sport

HE commanded respect while coaching in Australia and San Antonio, but now Brett Brown is in charge of a laughing stock.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Philadelphia. Portland won 114-104. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

SPEAK to anyone involved in the Boomers program over the past decade and they’ll be full of praise for Brett Brown.

Inquire with any member of the San Antonio Spurs’ past four championship teams about his ability as a coach and they’ll give you a thumbs up.

But right now Brown, the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, is rubbing shoulders with the worst coaches in NBA history.

Brown is trying to point the 76ers in the right direction.

In his first season Brown’s 76ers matched the NBA’s longest losing streak with 26 consecutive defeats.

On Thursday they narrowly avoided matching the worst start to a season in NBA history, moving their record to 1-17 with an ugly win against Minnesota and prompting another day of ridicule on social media.

Way to go @Sixers! #AdFinemFidelis pic.twitter.com/h7yJjBJTas

— Sons of Ben (@SonsofBen) December 4, 2014

Sixers locker room right now: pic.twitter.com/PUFjpsWUdT

— Steve McPherson (@steventurous) December 4, 2014

It followed an embarrassing situation earlier in the season where a pizza chain that sponsors the team had to change its promotion because the 76ers were so bad.

Instead of offering 50 per cent off when the 76ers won, Papa John’s changed it to when the team scored 90 points — because they weren’t winning.

"New rule, guys...." - Brett Brown. RT @SBNationNBA: Papa John’s used to have special for when the 76ers win. pic.twitter.com/XacpTBivvb

— Aaron Preine PS (@DukeOfBexar) November 21, 2014

From 100 games in charge, Brown has posted just 20 wins.

Only Atlanta’s Mike Woodson (15), Vancouver’s Brian Winters (17), Miami’s Ron Rothstein (19) and Cleveland’s Bill Fitch (19) have had worse starts to their coaching careers.

So how did it come to this for a man who learnt his trade under legendary coaches like Lindsay Gaze and Gregg Popovich and led the Boomers to a credible quarter-final finish at the London Olympics?

The truth is, there isn’t a coach in the world who could lead this 76ers team to a winning record right now.

Fielding what Brown has said is the youngest team in the history of the NBA, the 76ers have been built to lose now — and hopefully win later.

Philadelphia’s plan is to pick up as many high draft picks as possible and build them into a team that can compete for a title down the track.

Keep your chin up, Brett.

But that doesn’t make losing any easier for Brown, who must keep his fingers crossed the team maintains faith with him too.

“I didn’t know that it was going to be like this in Year 2,” Brown said.

“(But) If I had to do it again I would do it 50 times out of 50 times. The challenge is still there. The rewards are still there. It is hard. And at times it is very hard ...

“I am prideful. You care a lot. But I didn’t accept this job to boost my resume.

“I am 53 years old. You get used to winning 50 games every one of my San Antonio years. And so I need to make sure that (the players) feel good about themselves, that there is a difference between losing a game and losers.

“They are 20 years old and I need to help grow them. And as the media swells and records start to tumble and streaks are imminent or around the corner, then I’ve got to wrap my arms around our guys, coach them hard, tell them the truth but also make sure they don’t feel anything else but strong. And I want a confidence that they feel that they can go out and perform and ultimately win.”

Let’s hope Brown’s vocal chords can survive the season.

Originally published as Former Boomers coach Brett Brown has toughest coaching job in sport