Larry Brown

Enshrined 2002
Born: September 14, 1940
Brooklyn, New York

For all of the successes that Larry Brown has had as an Olympian, an All-ACC guard at North Carolina and as a three-time ABA All-Star, he exudes the most pride and appreciation when he is referred to as a teacher of the game. In a remarkable coaching career that has spanned more than three decades, Brown has taught well. He has won more than 1,000 professional games in the ABA and the NBA and is the only coach in NBA history to lead six different teams to the playoffs. Brown began coaching in the ABA with the Carolina Cougars and Denver Nuggets and was a three-time ABA Coach of the Year selection (1973, 1975, 1976). In the NBA, he has resurrected dormant teams, including the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers. In the 2000-2001 season, Brown guided the 76ers to the NBA Finals for the first time in 18 years. Brown has coached two of the most storied college programs in history, leading UCLA to the 1980 Final Four and Kansas to the 1988 NCAA title.