Brown Feels He’s at Home

Last stop: Madison Square Garden.

That’s the way it was for Larry Brown as a youngster taking the subway to Knick games, and that’s the way he hopes it will be in his newest job.

Brown was formally introduced Thursday as the head coach of the New York Knicks, the team he grew up cheering for and the franchise he has helped make significant again.

“I think I say that everywhere I’ve been,” Brown said with a laugh. “I know this will be my last stop. Basketball started for me in this city, and I want to be here when it’s finally time for me to stop.”

The Knicks pulled out all the stops for Brown’s introductory news conference, flashing “Welcome Back, Larry” on the marquee outside the arena, putting together a clip of Brown’s career highlights -- even finding footage of him sinking a two-handed set shot -- and serving cheesecake and New York-style overstuffed sandwiches to a crowd of media members that numbered in the hundreds.

Brown’s wife and children sat in the front row near Herb Williams, who will join Brown’s staff as an assistant coach and who Brown said would run the team in the event his health problems force him to miss time.

Brown’s contract was believed to be for five years with a salary of at least $10 million annually. Had Brown turned down the job, the Knicks would have given it to Williams after he guided the team over the final 43 games last season.

“My greatest hope is that we’re going to be good for a long time, and he [Williams] is going to be the next coach of the New York Knicks,” Brown said.

His face tanned after more than a week of playing golf near his summer home, his appearance perfect in a dark suit, light blue shirt and gray tie, Brown called himself “a young 64” as he soaked up the spotlight, waxed nostalgic and tried to keep expectations in line with reality.

The Knicks are coming off a 33-win season in which they missed the playoffs for the third time in four years, and team President Isiah Thomas has placed the team in a long-term rebuilding mode that will make it difficult for Brown to perform the type of quick turnaround he has become known for.

Brown said he would emphasize defense, rebounding and unselfishness from the first day of training camp, and he predicted he’d drive Thomas “crazy” with his requests for personnel changes as his tenure unfolds.

“It’s going to be ugly early, I can promise you that. That’s been my m.o., but it’s going to get better,” Brown said.

Thomas will retain final say on personnel moves, but Brown will wield all the influence regarding who plays, how much they play, and whether those players will remain in New York long-term.

The Knicks will be Brown’s eighth NBA coaching job in a career (not including college jobs at Kansas and UCLA) that has taken him to Detroit, Philadelphia, Indiana, the Clippers, San Antonio, New Jersey and Denver.

Brown led the Pistons to the NBA Finals the last two seasons, winning the title in 2004.