Hubie Brown received tributes from across the NBA community as the former coach and longtime broadcaster after spending more than half a century in pro basketball.
The 91-year-old Brown called his final game Sunday as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 135-127. He was awarded the game ball after the final horn sounded.
鈥淚 have so many things to be thankful for, but my family and I can never thank everyone enough," Brown said at the end of the telecast. "We just want to send them the love that I鈥檝e seen today right back with a big hug. It was a fantastic ride.鈥�
Players from both teams approached him before the game to shake his hand. He received a standing ovation during the opening timeout as a video honoring him aired on the Fiserv Forum scoreboard. by blowing kisses to the crowd and mouthing 鈥淭hank you.鈥�
Brown indicated he almost cried as that video aired.
He considered it fitting that he was in Milwaukee for his final game as a broadcaster. His first NBA coaching job was as an assistant with the Bucks on Larry Costello鈥檚 staff, a two-season stint that began in 1972.
鈥淲hen I came here to the Milwaukee Bucks and Larry Costello, I received a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate鈥檚 degree in basketball in two years,鈥� Brown said at the start of Sunday鈥檚 telecast.
That launched an illustrious career on the bench and behind a microphone.
Brown coached 15 seasons with the ABA鈥檚 Kentucky Colonels (1974-76) and NBA鈥檚 Atlanta Hawks (1976-81), New York Knicks (1982-87) and Memphis Grizzlies (2002-05). He won an ABA title with Kentucky in 1975 and was voted the NBA Coach of the Year in 1978 and 2004.
He spent 35 years as a national TV and radio analyst, covering 18 NBA Finals. Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure he鈥檚 seen so much growth and so much change not only in the game of basketball but in the league," Bucks guard Damian Lillard said after the game. "It鈥檚 come so far in a lot of ways, and I think that obviously you鈥檙e going to have the commissioners and you鈥檙e going to have players come along, but I think it鈥檚 the people who love on the game and love the league and the contributions that come from people like Hubie Brown is what has allowed it to become what it is, is what makes it special.鈥�
Mike Breen, the play-by-play broadcaster for Sunday鈥檚 game, called it the 鈥渦ltimate honor鈥� to have Brown as a colleague. Breen spoke for other play-by-play broadcasters who worked alongside Brown by saying 鈥測ou鈥檝e been like a father to many of us, our NBA father.鈥�
鈥淐ould we pause, as I have a tear here,鈥�
ABC started its Sunday telecast by showing footage of Brown鈥檚 very first NBA broadcast, a 1981 game airing on USA Network. NBC鈥檚 Mike Tirico, Brown鈥檚 former broadcast partner, joined the telecast remotely to pay his respects late in the first quarter.
During breaks in the telecast, ABC showed highlights from Brown鈥檚 coaching and broadcasting career along with testimonials from various NBA figures.
鈥淵ou brought so much passion to every telecast,鈥� NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said during one of those breaks. 鈥淵ou took great joy in teaching the finer points of basketball.鈥�
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse presented Brown with a tiny replica of the Liberty Bell in the green room before the game. Bucks assistants wore a T-shirt with the message 鈥淭hank You Hubie鈥� and a heart during pregame warmups.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Brown remains one of the former coaches he often seeks out for advice.
鈥淗e was one of my first calls all the time and still is when things are rough or I鈥檓 trying to figure out something to me that鈥檚 complicated,鈥� Rivers said.
Rivers said he often sought Brown鈥檚 counsel in those situations because he figured there wasn鈥檛 any kind of situation that the longtime coach and broadcaster hadn鈥檛 encountered at some point in over a half-century in professional basketball.
Bucks veteran center Brook Lopez made sure to talk to Brown before the game and say how much the former coach and broadcaster had meant to the NBA.
鈥淭hat was one of my real first, real cool 鈥榳elcome to the league鈥� experiences, was having him call one of my games and to see him in person, get to meet him, hearing he was a fan of me and my game, appreciated my game,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always had good tips for me. He鈥檚 still coaching, even though he鈥檚 commentating. It鈥檚 in his DNA and in his blood, trying to help players get better.鈥�
As the Bucks prepared for Sunday鈥檚 game, Rivers asked the youngest players on the roster what they knew about Brown. When they weren鈥檛 aware of Brown鈥檚 accomplishments, Rivers got Lopez to offer a primer.
鈥淗e gave a very impressive history run on Hubie and even knew the reason his last game was in Milwaukee is because this is where it all started, with him and Larry Costello,鈥� Rivers said.
Brown said that's what made it so appropriate to finish his career in Milwaukee.
鈥淔or me to end it here is very meaningful because I learned so much here,鈥� Brown said.
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AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
