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He might never leave. Oklahoma City signed Brooks to a four-year extension last summer that reportedly will pay him more than $16 million, making him among the top-paid coaches in the NBA.
"He has been critical to our success and will play an even more important role in our ability to build a sustainable franchise," Thunder General Manager Sam Presti said of Brooks, who was selected the NBA's coach of the year for the 2009-10 season. "With that said, his personal values run absolutely parallel to those that we aspire to as an organization and we value him greatly."
Brooks has taken the Thunder from 23 victories in his first season to the Finals in his fourth, all the while doing it with a demanding yet self-deprecating style.
Asked about the transition Kevin Martin was making from starter to reserve, Brooks said he would have to check with Martin.
"I never as a player had to deal with that type of thing," Brooks said.
Brooks is a master at team-building, creating allies among his players while insisting on improvement from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, 24-year-olds already among the best in the world.
The morning after Durant scored 36 points and played lockdown defense in the second half of a victory over the Lakers, Brooks told him he needed to play better defense from the opening tip.
Sometimes the demands aren't so serious.
"He came in today in front of everybody and looked at me for about 10 seconds and he said, 'You know, K.D., you need a haircut,'" Durant said earlier in the week. "So he's quick to say something to anybody if they mess up. If we miss a rotation, if we're not playing as hard as he wants us to play, he's going to say something to us.
"He's not afraid, no matter who you are. It's really good to see that and we respect him more for doing that."
It all goes back to the mantra instilled in Brooks by his mother.
"You work hard every day, ask for nothing along the way and you live with the results," Brooks said. "I've never worried about not making it because I never let myself worry about that being an option. My option was I was going to figure out a way to make it."
ben.bolch@latimes.com
twitter.com/latbbolch
"He has been critical to our success and will play an even more important role in our ability to build a sustainable franchise," Thunder General Manager Sam Presti said of Brooks, who was selected the NBA's coach of the year for the 2009-10 season. "With that said, his personal values run absolutely parallel to those that we aspire to as an organization and we value him greatly."
Brooks has taken the Thunder from 23 victories in his first season to the Finals in his fourth, all the while doing it with a demanding yet self-deprecating style.
Asked about the transition Kevin Martin was making from starter to reserve, Brooks said he would have to check with Martin.
"I never as a player had to deal with that type of thing," Brooks said.
Brooks is a master at team-building, creating allies among his players while insisting on improvement from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, 24-year-olds already among the best in the world.
The morning after Durant scored 36 points and played lockdown defense in the second half of a victory over the Lakers, Brooks told him he needed to play better defense from the opening tip.
Sometimes the demands aren't so serious.
"He came in today in front of everybody and looked at me for about 10 seconds and he said, 'You know, K.D., you need a haircut,'" Durant said earlier in the week. "So he's quick to say something to anybody if they mess up. If we miss a rotation, if we're not playing as hard as he wants us to play, he's going to say something to us.
"He's not afraid, no matter who you are. It's really good to see that and we respect him more for doing that."
It all goes back to the mantra instilled in Brooks by his mother.
"You work hard every day, ask for nothing along the way and you live with the results," Brooks said. "I've never worried about not making it because I never let myself worry about that being an option. My option was I was going to figure out a way to make it."
ben.bolch@latimes.com
twitter.com/latbbolch
