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Trent Fitzgerald
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CHICAGO – The 2026 NBA draft is expected to be highlighted by top-five prospects AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Years from now, though, Darius Acuff Jr. expects to be talked about first when the Class of 2026 is mentioned.

“Five years from now they will say I was the best player that was going to come out, for sure,” Acuff told Andscape on May 11 during the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. “Some people are going to be surprised. But some people in the back of their minds are probably [going to be] saying, ‘We probably should have been saying this.’

Acuff said he doesn’t have an opinion on what people say.

“My mindset is that I’m gonna be the best player, for sure,” he said. “That’s just the way I’m carrying it throughout my whole career.”

Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game as a freshman at the University of Arkansas last season. He was the 2026 Bob Cousy Award winner as the nation’s best college point guard, and averaged 30.2 points in five postseason contests. A consensus first-team All-American, Acuff also swept Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, and was SEC tournament MVP.

A longtime NBA scout told Andscape that he didn’t expect Acuff to get past the Kings in the draft.

Coincidentally, Darius Acuff Sr., played at Eastern Kentucky University for then-head coach Scott Perry, who is the Sacramento Kings’ general manager.

Like father, like son, both Acuffs share a stoic mentality and competitive fire on the court.

“That’s one of our family traits,” Acuff Sr. told Andscape. “If you have a chance to meet some of my family, we’re all the same. We don’t show emotions a lot, but we mean business. So, yeah, that’s kind of like a family trait.

“And on top of me [meaning business], just being on you about a lot of stuff — just letting him know, ‘Don’t let nobody see you sweat. Don’t let nobody speed you up. Don’t let nobody rattle you. Just keep the same face, the same mindset.’”

Andscape is celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday with a Q&A series including some of the 2026 NBA draft’s top prospects and their fathers. The first day of the draft is Tuesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The fathers and sons who participated include the Acuffs; former Tennessee forward Nate Ament and his father, Albert Ament; former Duke center Cameron Boozer and his father, former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer; former Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. and his father, Christopher Brown; former Brigham Young forward AJ Dybantsa and his father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa Sr.; and former Houston guard Kingston Flemings and his father, Demetric “Dee” Flemings.

In this Q&A series, the fathers and soon-to-be-drafted sons discuss their relationship through basketball, life lessons, the perceptions of Black fatherhood, their excitement and anxiety toward the draft, what NBA teams are getting on and off the court, and much more.

When do you remember putting on ball in [your son’s] hands for the first time?

Acuff Sr.: I probably put the ball in his hands when he was born, because it’s kind of like the makeup for our family. Everybody is going to play basketball. The first time I took him to the gym actually organized was probably like about 3 or 4 years old. …

I say it all the time: Me and my wife were blessed. It seemed like he came out the womb ready to go, obsessed with the game, for sure.

When do you first recall falling in love with basketball that your remember?

Acuff Jr.: Probably around middle school. When I started traveling, it got away from just seeing different cities on the AAU circuit. It got way more fun, for sure.

What kind of influence did being from a city in Detroit that is known for having great basketball players?

Acuff Jr.: It had a lot of influence. That is where it started in local tournaments. I was playing in tournaments all over Michigan and trying to win every tournament, competing with everybody. There was never no easy game. So just learning from Detroit. That’s a great feeling.

You have any memories of watching your father play?

Acuff Jr.: No. His tapes ain’t nowhere.

Acuff Sr.: They got rid of my tapes, man. It’s a few out there, though. But I don’t know what happened to them. The internet wasn’t popping in my day. I would hope we can find some of my Eastern Kentucky tapes.

What did you know about your father as a ballplayer?

Acuff Jr.: He nice. I heard he was cold. I heard he was similar to me with the same attributes. We both move the same. He had more hops than me, according to everybody. He was a guard dunker. He probably got me [athletically], based on what I’ve seen. He was smart, for sure. That’s what I heard from a lot of people. He was a smart player who always got his teammates involved. But he could score if they needed him to.

Was it tough love with your son in basketball?

Acuff Sr.: Always. It was me just introducing him to the game. I always told him, ‘If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do it the right way. It’s not going to be any shortcuts or anything.’ So, I was always tough on him, for sure.

Did he always take to it?

Acuff Sr.: Always. Never went home and complained to his mom about anything. We had times in the gym going at it back and forth. But once we get in the car, it’s father and son again.

What made you accept the tough love?

Acuff Jr: He knew what he was talking about. Over the years, you could see my game progressing, working. And he was the one that took me through all this stuff, so I knew I had to listen to him. He was my coach at the same time, too. So, of course, there was a lot of tough moments. But he didn’t teach me to be soft. So, I wasn’t going home complaining or none of that. I would just go upstairs and think about what I can do better tomorrow.

If anything, I didn’t want to go somewhere else. I wanted to go to the gym. That was always the first choice.

Can you describe what it’s like to be a Black father?

Acuff Sr.: It’s everything. I didn’t have my dad growing up. Me and my brothers and sister didn’t have our dad. So, I just wanted to be everything for him. Just be there for him through the ups and downs. And it’s great that I can share this with other Black fathers and hopefully they can follow the path that we have paved the way for. So, it’s been a blessing. It’s great.

What do you think is the perception of Black fathers?

Acuff Sr.: There are a lot of different perceptions out there. We don’t really pay attention to those things. We know what we want as a family. We’re kind of like straightforward, so we kind of know what we want. We don’t really follow perceptions or anything like that.

You have a young Black son in Detroit. He can’t walk anywhere now without somebody recognizing him. What kind of things have you tried to instill in him to protect him?

Acuff Sr.: The main thing me and his mom instill in him is to just be a leader. Don’t be a follower. No matter if it’s your family members or friends in school. Always lead by example and be a stand-up guy.

The draft is two days after Father’s Day. When I say that to you, what comes to mind?

Acuff Sr.: That’s going to be the greatest Father’s Day gift ever. I’ve always just prayed and just hoped that he can stay healthy enough to live out his dreams. I’ve stayed healthy enough to see him exceed that. So, it’s great.

What does celebrating your dad on Father’s Day mean to you?

Acuff Jr.: Everything. That whole month [June] has been for us as a family. His birthday month, Father’s Day. My granddad, his birthday the day after his. My sister’s birthday is that month. So that whole month is going to be a great one for us as a family. And I’m just proud of us as a family. We stuck together through it all, for sure. We still got way more to go. But I definitely love them all for sticking with me.

What most excites you most about the NBA draft? And what brings you anxiety about that day?

Acuff Jr.: What excites me most? Just knowing that I can change my family’s life. I was telling them, just being the first to do something in the family to make the league, that’s probably my biggest mindset right now. Just putting on for them everyday. I’m excited to hear my name called. Our last name is legendary where we’re from. So just to hear it being on the stage, that would be a great feeling.

As far as anxiety, I don’t really think I got like anxiety. But I’m excited, for sure. We talk about it on a personal level. It gets crazy sometimes, but at the end of the day, it’s business. But when we’re by ourselves, a lot of emotions are probably going to come out, for sure. There is a lot of excitement about it. We talk about it everyday, for sure.

What do you think it will be like to step on that NBA draft stage?

Acuff Jr.: Crazy. He’ll tell you. I watched a recent draft — the whole draft just to see what you do, introductions, all that. I’m just trying to see what’s the movement you’re supposed to do. But it’s crazy. It’s gonna be a dream come true just to shake [NBA] commissioner [Adam Silver’s] hand. That’s everybody’s dream. Walking across [the stage], that’s something you dream of. Just to see it happen is definitely going to be a great feeling.

As you interview with teams and they ask, ‘What Darius are we getting on and off the court?’ what do you tell them?

Acuff Jr.: I tell them you’re two different people. On the court, I’m nobody’s friend. I’m only [friends] with my teammates and my coaches. Everybody else, I don’t really know. Just a killer, for sure. In all, I’m a winning player, though. I want to win a lot at the next level. That’s very important.

And off the court, just a great person. No matter who you are, I’ll help you out if you need something. You see somebody in the grocery store that can’t do something, you just help him out. I just want to be known as one of those guys, for sure.

When he gets drafted to an NBA team, wherever that is, what of your teachings do you think he’s going to take with him?

Acuff Sr.: His leadership. Him being a role model. We’re big on the youth in our city. So just him being a great role model to the kid that’s trying to accomplish the same thing he’s trying to or about to accomplish.

How much pride do you have in your last name and the ‘Junior’ in it?

Acuff Jr.: Our last name, if you ask anybody in Detroit, they probably know who you are talking about. And I ain’t even talking about me. It started way before me. It started way before him. Our family is just legendary. We stick together. We’ve been sticking together throughout. Since I’ve been born, of course. I can tell they always have been close as a family. We support each other no matter what.

That Junior, I take pride in it. I write it down everywhere. Sometimes when people put something out and it’s just my last name, I make them change it to Junior because I take pride in it. It’s my dad. He’s been with me every step of the way. I’m not going to let anyone disrespect our name. He’s a Senior. I’m a Junior.

When your son is in that NBA uniform with your last name on the back with ‘Acuff Jr.’ it represents you in two ways. What does that mean to you?

Acuff Sr.: It’s going to be big for me, and all the things that me and my family went through as far as the sport. So, it’s going to mean a lot. It’s probably going to be a little emotional the first time he puts the jersey on, as it was when he did it at Arkansas.

It’s gonna be a great feeling. I can’t explain the emotions. I don’t know what to expect as far as my reaction, but I know it’s gonna be a great feeling, for sure.

How did you help him navigate the NIL space, the one-and-done space, the social media space? That is a lot for a teenager to handle. What was your guidance through that part?

Acuff Sr.: Just keeping the main thing the main thing in the gym. He comes from work. That’s what he’s always been about. That’s what I’ve always been about as far as teaching him the game. Money, it’s going to be there. But you got to take pride in what you’re trying to accomplish.

What is it like for him to be your son?

Acuff Sr.: It’s great. Me and my wife, we’re just so lucky to have a son like him. Of course, my daughter, too. He’s a great kid. He’s always been a great kid. He’s never given us any problems. So, we’re just thankful that he’s who he’s become, for sure.

The post Darius Acuff Jr. accepts ‘tough love’ from father, turns into top NBA draft prospect appeared first on Andscape.

No matter the industry, careers are rarely built in isolation. Often someone offers guidance or encouragement, or simply makes room at the table for the person coming up behind them.

During NBA Finals week in New York, Monica McNutt, an ESPN analyst for the NBA, WNBA and college basketball, created a space to celebrate those connections.

Inside Afro-Caribbean restaurant Tatiana, women from across sports, media, business and culture gathered for “Center Court,” an intimate dinner centered on community and the relationships that help shape careers long before the spotlight arrives.

At the center of the evening was a tribute to veteran ESPN and ABC reporter Lisa Salters and ESPN NBA analyst Doris Burke, two women whose careers have served as a blueprint for many of the journalists, executives, athletes and creators in the room. Their recognition set the tone for a night focused on encouragement and paying it forward.

For McNutt, the importance of those connections is personal. Before joining ESPN, she posted her broadcasting reel online and received encouragement from women she admired, including Jemele Hill, Maria Taylor and LaChina Robinson.

“Even just the ‘Yes, you got it, girl’ — that little push from women I admired was a big deal,” McNutt said. “Those women are friends to this day.”

Those experiences helped shape her approach to building community and influenced the vision behind “Center Court.”

“I think we’re in a beautiful time in sports media where we can celebrate one another, root for one another, and be honest about what we want as well,” McNutt said.

For McNutt, gatherings like this are a way to continue that cycle of encouragement. That spirit resonated with attendees.

“During events like this, even on this large stage during the Finals, for all of us to come together and uplift one another is really important,” said LaTonya Story, founder of The Sports Power Brunch and CEO of LPS Consulting PR. “All of us come together, celebrate, love and motivate one another.”

For Story, that belief is rooted in her own journey. She pointed to a college professor who saw her potential before she did.

“She took a liking to me, she believed in me, she supported me, and she encouraged me,” Story said. “She just knew I could be anything I wanted to do if I set my mind to it.”

Though the paths that brought the women together were different, a common thread ran through many of their stories: Long before the accolades, titles and opportunities, there was someone who offered support at the right moment, opened a door or simply believed in them.

That made the evening’s recognition of Salters and Burke especially meaningful. Their careers reflect what can happen when talent meets opportunity, and their impact continues to ripple across the next generation.

Whether it was a mentor, a professor, a colleague or a friend, many of the stories shared throughout the evening traced back to someone who helped make the journey easier. In that way, “Center Court” was more than a celebration of the women in the room. It was a tribute to the people who helped them get there and the connections that continue to carry them forward.

The post A different kind of assist: The connections that carry us appeared first on Andscape.

Meerkats Named After Cardi B and Biggie Welcome 5th Pup Litter
Trent Fitzgerald
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SAN ANTONIO — The long-awaited championship stage was set for the New York Knicks on Saturday night. A crying Tracy Morgan, a gleeful Spike Lee and other celebrity Knicks fans celebrated with the players. They were eager to see the NBA championship trophy that had eluded the Knicks for 53 years.

In the midst of the Knicks’ stunning fiesta in the Alamo City, Knicks head coach Mike Brown calmly secured a courtside seat for his 84-year-old mother, Jean, to enjoy the coronation her son spearheaded.

Sitting comfortably next to her daughter, Catana, Mama Brown could not have been prouder of her son’s resilience. Mike Brown overcame four firings as an NBA head coach before leading the Knicks to their first title since 1973.

“Mike is amazing. You never know what he can do at any given time,” Jean Brown told Andscape. “He works and works and works. Just like the seasons, they change over time. Michael kept on keeping on until he reached the mountaintop. That’s why he got there. God’s blessing.

“Everybody helped him. I’m not saying there wasn’t help. But he finally has his own ring.”

The Knicks clinched the NBA title by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. San Antonio also happens to be the home of Brown’s parents, his three siblings, Catana Brown, Anthony Brown and Mika Guiragossian, and their children. They followed him to San Antonio during his stint as a Spurs assistant coach from 2000-03 and never left.

Anthony Brown, a former NFL offensive lineman, said about 20 family members, including Mike Brown’s wife, Rochelle Ledesma, and her two children, were all in attendance. Half joking, half serious, Mike Brown said before the NBA Finals that he would save money by playing against the Spurs, since his family wouldn’t have to travel.

Brown, 56, was appreciative of his family’s presence and support.

“It’s awesome having family around,” Mike Brown said before Game 5. “Look, I’m a big family guy. To be able to have that support, whether you’re at home or on the road, and that love for anybody, it can uplift them. Whether you win or you lose, they don’t care. They just want to be there for you, and they want to support you. It’s always good to have that around, especially being in San Antonio.”

Mike Brown’s 85-year-old father, Bobby, watched the game from his San Antonio home alongside his white labradoodle, because he was not physically able to attend. Cameron Brown, Mike’s youngest son, also couldn’t attend because of a prior commitment.

But for the large Brown contingent in attendance, it was a night they will never forget. Their beloved Michael Burton Brown earned his first championship ring in his 12th season as an NBA head coach, more than 20 years since his NBA head coaching debut.

“We all wouldn’t have been able to experience it if it was in New York,” Anthony Brown told Andscape. “That was not going to happen. It’s ironic that he’s in New York playing the Spurs in San Antonio. It’s crazy. We were lucky to see this big game. It was great. The stars aligned.”

Catana Brown said she “knew he was going to do it,” noting to Andscape that her brother “never has doubted his faith that he was going to do it. The basketball gods worked it out with the way he approaches his job, the way that he coaches, the way the team came together. He was being a general out there.”

Said Mika Guiragossian to Andscape: “I am just proud of my brother. He deserves it. He’s been through a lot and it shows that he is a great coach. I’m just so glad that he finally won an NBA championship as a head coach. That can’t leave him.”

An unforgettable night for Mike Brown’s family

To understand Mike Brown as a meticulous coach and a fun-loving person off the court, look no further than his parents.

Bobby Brown served in the Air Force for 26 years and raised his children with his wife on bases in Japan, the United States and Germany. That military upbringing played a major role in Mike being disciplined, detail-oriented, hardworking and accountable in his coaching approach. He also learned the importance of community and helping the less fortunate.

With his brother, his brother’s wife, Shannon Brown, and Guiragossian watching on from the court, Mike enthusiastically FaceTimed his father after the Knicks won the Finals.

“He couldn’t hear because it was so loud, but he is so happy. Mike told my dad he was happy, he loved him and he looked forward to seeing him,” Anthony Brown said.

Said Mike Brown about his father before Game 5: “He definitely has that Air Force background. I think that’s where I got my OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder] from. Dad, sorry. He’s pretty meticulous with whatever he goes about in his business.”

Jean Brown was a schoolteacher for the Department of Defense Dependent Schools, a network of overseas schools managed by the Department of Defense Education Activity that serve children of active-duty military and civilian Department of Defense personnel. Anthony Brown described his mother as “caring, outgoing, understanding, extroverted and owning an ability to relate with anyone and everyone.” She still takes Zumba classes at age 84 and can walk for miles.

Mike Brown has a lot of his mother’s personality, as he is known to talk to a random basketball fan for 10 minutes, can be the life of the party among friends, and loves long drives on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. He even wore rapper Fat Joe’s expensive gold chain and pendant in celebration after winning the title.

“They are both outgoing, extroverts, caring, understanding,” Anthony Brown told Andscape. “My mom is the life of the party. She has a gift of gab. Mike is not a talker like my mom, but he can talk to people from all walks of life and make them feel comfortable. And on occasion, he can show her personality. She might be 84, but she’s like 24.”

Mike Brown’s coaching history: ‘He just kept going’

After graduating from high school in Germany, Mike Brown was a star guard at Mesa Community College (Ariz.) from 1988-90 and then for the University of San Diego from 1990-92.

Then-San Diego men’s basketball head coach Hank Egan helped Brown land a video internship under then-Denver Nuggets president and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff in the summer of 1992. Bickerstaff was so impressed with Brown’s hard work and meticulous video breakdowns that he offered him a full-time job.

Brown initially turned down the offer, because he promised his mother that he would finish his college degree. Bickerstaff, however, held the job for Brown until he could return in mid-December 1992 after graduating.

In 1997, Brown earned his first NBA assistant coaching job, heading to Washington, D.C., to reunite with Bickerstaff, who had become the Wizards’ head coach.

Nearly 30 years later, a thankful Brown hasn’t forgotten Bickerstaff’s role in his career — Brown was one of the speakers when the Black Coaches Association honored Bickerstaff with an excellence award last summer, and he broke down and cried during his speech.

But Brown’s family also saw all the hard work he put in to make the climb from video intern to head coach.

“The way he came into the league was breaking down videos and going to games,” Catana Brown said with amazement about her brother. “He started from the bottom, the very bottom, doing an internship. I remembered he had a pickup truck. It was red. The windows had to be rolled down. He had a cassette player.

“He just kept going. He kept going and never quit.”

After subsequent assistant coaching stops with San Antonio and Indiana, Brown became a head coach for the first time in 2005 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He coached LeBron James and Cleveland to their first NBA Finals in 2007, only to be swept by the Spurs. The 2009 NBA Coach of the Year was fired after the 2009-10 campaign, despite having led the Cavs to consecutive NBA-best marks of 66 and 61 wins over the past two seasons.

Brown was next hired to fill the legendary coaching shoes of Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers before the lockout-shortened 2011-12 NBA season. He coached the Lakers to a 45-21 record and a second-round playoff appearance with the likes of future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. But after starting the 2012-13 season 1-4, Brown was fired on Nov. 8, 2012.

He returned to the Cavs the following season but went just 33-49, missing the playoffs and being fired again.

After a couple of years away from the sidelines, Brown took a job that would turn out to be the longest tenure of his career thus far: associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors, under head coach Steve Kerr.

Brown became content during his six seasons living in San Francisco from 2016-22, adding three more championship rings to the one he won as a Spurs assistant in 2003.

But 10 years after his last head coaching gig, Brown decided to be a leading man again, becoming the Sacramento Kings head coach on May 9, 2022. He successfully coached the rebuilding Kings to a 48-34 record during the 2022-23 season and the team’s first playoff appearance since 2006.

“I obviously interviewed a couple times [for other NBA jobs], didn’t get them,” Mike Brown said before Game 5. “Then Sacramento came. That gave me an opportunity, which I appreciate.”

The unanimous 2023 NBA Coach of the Year was rewarded with a three-year, $25.5 million extension. Kings fans also fell in love with Brown, who was a regular at local high school football and basketball games and restaurants. At that time, Brown loved Sacramento so much that he was in the process of getting a new home.

His parents were in town in Sacramento on Dec. 27, 2024, with the Kings in the midst of a five-game losing streak and a 13-18 start to the season. Brown talked to the media at practice that day and was en route to the airport for a road trip to play the Lakers when he got an emotional call from then-Kings general manager Monte McNair, who told him he was fired.

So, instead of going to Los Angeles, he returned home after being fired for the fourth time. Brown’s mother being in town was great timing; she offered words of wisdom to lessen the pain.

“There is a reason for every season in our lives,” Jean Brown said. “When something happens in our lives, it happens for a reason. A lot of times when things happen, it’s time to change. I told him, ‘That door closed. Don’t look back. Look forward. The doors will open, and you’ll walk through. You’ll never know what will be there when you walk through.’ ”

Instead of sitting around Sacramento sulking, Ledesma coerced her husband into traveling the globe to take their minds off of the Kings fiasco.

In 2025, they went to an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight and a pro basketball game in Australia. They enjoyed authentic Mexican food, rented a yacht and listened to mariachi music in Puerto Vallarta, they visited friends in San Francisco, and much more.

Three months after the 2024-25 NBA season ended, Brown received interest from the New York Knicks.

“After I got fired, I wasn’t thinking about it, because my wife and I were running all over the world,” Brown said. “We were in Sydney, we were in New York, Mexico, St. Barts. Next thing I know, they’re asking me to interview here.”

Brown wasn’t the Knicks’ first choice for their head coach opening last offseason. But once hired, he quickly showed promise, leading the team to a 2025 NBA Cup title over the Spurs in December.

However, New York also had a pair of four-game losing streaks during a 2-9 stretch in January. It took time for Brown, forward Karl-Anthony Towns and guard Josh Hart to get on the same page. When the Knicks trailed 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, Brown’s job was on the line, sources told Andscape.

While Brown does his best to stay insulated from media talk and rumors, his family is familiar with the negative noise.

Brown, however, got the last laugh with the title.

“All the doubt and the noise out there, all of them can be quiet about Mike Brown,” Anthony Brown said. “I don’t want to hear nothing negative about Mike Brown ever again. He won a championship — an NBA championship. I don’t want to hear nothing negative about people saying he can’t be a head coach, [instead] thinking that he is a great lead assistant. All that noise, they can take all that. He got the NBA championship. Not many people can say that.”

Elijah Brown, Mike Brown’s eldest son, told Andscape: “He was doubted the whole year, and he prevailed. He went into the season with a plan. Not a lot of people believed it. Not a lot of people saw the vision. Even me, I doubted him in terms of wins and losses. I was on him a lot. But he had a vision and I have to give him credit.”

How Mike Brown’s family keeps him grounded

Brown spent a lot of time with his family during the course of the postseason. He, his Philadelphia-native mother and Guiragossian enjoyed a mini family reunion when they visited the City of Brotherly Love during the Knicks’ second-round series against the 76ers. Ledesma also attended Eastern Conference finals games, and Brown spent time in San Antonio with his parents and family at a steakhouse before the start of the NBA Finals.

But on the eve of Game 5 on June 12, Brown had a quiet night with his wife and two teenage stepchildren in San Antonio like they typically do during the regular season.

“We just wanted to get some rest and get ready for the game,” Ledesma said. “Locked in.”

Mike Brown has two biological sons who were sports stars in their own right. Elijah Brown was a guard in the G League and shared the backcourt at the University of Oregon with Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard; Cameron Brown is a defensive quality control coach for the San Francisco 49ers after setting records as a defensive end at Case Western Reserve University.

With all due respect to his sons, wife, parents and other family members, the love of Mike Brown’s life is his grandson, Iverson Brown. It’s not uncommon for the Knicks head coach to build his schedule around spending time with Iverson, Elijah’s son. After winning the NBA championship, Brown held his 3-year-old grandson in his arms during the trophy presentation and during an ESPN interview with host Scott Van Pelt.

“I knew my dad was going to do that,” Elijah Brown said. “My son don’t even know what he is experiencing right now. He is going to look back at pictures and videos a long time from now and understand. But I’m just happy for my dad to be up there and win it. His grandson is his favorite person in the world. To be up there with his grandson is an all-time high. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

Mike Brown wasn’t an NBA player, let alone a star. He started his NBA career as an unpaid intern in the video room. Brown was fired four times as an NBA head coach.

Now, he is an NBA champion.

Watching his dad holding his son on the grandest NBA stage, Elijah Brown beamed with pride.

“I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs with my father,” Elijah Brown said. “It’s sweet for it to come around full circle to win in San Antonio with the New York Knicks in the mecca of basketball. …

“My dad is very quiet, reserved. So, I got to be loud for him a little bit. I told him, ‘I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. This is 30-plus years.’ Assistant [coach] title is cool, but for him to do it as a head coach, I’m really proud and happy for him.”

So, what can be learned from Mike Brown’s journey?

“He’s had some good times. He’s had some really rough times,” Catana Brown said. “And every time he’s had a rough time, dude gets back up, finds something and makes it happen.”

As Guiragossian put it: “Never give up. Keep pushing. Keep fighting.”

The post ‘He deserves it’: Knicks coach Mike Brown’s proud family celebrating his NBA Finals win appeared first on Andscape.

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Andscape columnist William C. Rhoden explores the intriguing teams, people and themes around the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

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From Cafe Ru Dix, a Brooklyn-based Senegalese restaurant, Andscape columnist William Rhoden and ESPN FC host Alexis Nunes explore why the World Cup can turn one matchup into a global cultural moment.

Senegal vs. France brings back memories of Senegal’s 1-0 upset in 2002, but the conversation also reaches deeper into soccer”s spread through colonization, the pride of African nations, and the talent pipeline that shapes European teams. With food on the table and fans in mind, the preview frames the match as a story about identity, history, and the power of the world’s most-watched sport.

The post Andscape at the World Cup: Why Senegal vs. France means more than soccer appeared first on Andscape.

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Andscape columnist William C. Rhoden explores the intriguing teams, people and themes around the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

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Cape Verde’s first trip to the World Cup is more than a soccer milestone; it is a celebration that stretches from the islands off West Africa to the team’s training base in Rhode Island.

Andscape columnist William C. Rhoden visits a Cape Verdean send-off in Pawtucket as fans, local organizers, and Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira reflect on what this moment means for a country and its global community. The scenes and interviews capture the pride of a diaspora, the thrill of an underdog story, and the joy around a national team making history on the world’s biggest stage. It is about who gets to feel seen when a small nation steps into a massive tournament.

The post Why Cape Verde’s World Cup first means so much appeared first on Andscape.

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From San Antonio to New York City, follow Andscape’s coverage of the 2026 NBA Finals with columnist William C. Rhoden and senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears.

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SAN ANTONIO — The New York Knicks will have their championship parade Thursday, one the team, the city, and generations of fans and players have been awaiting since 1973, when the franchise won its last title.

In the immediate aftermath of the Knicks’ championship-clinching 94-90 victory over San Antonio on Saturday, the corridors in the bowels of Frost Bank Center were congested like an intersection in Midtown Manhattan. There were Knicks players, family members, friends and media recording the moment.

From player and team executives, the most commonly used word was “surreal.” The phrase everyone used was, “I can’t put my mind around this yet.”

Everyone was simultaneously in the moment and outside of the moment.

“It’s really hard right now to put it into words,” Allan Houston, the Knicks’ senior advisor of leadership development, said as he walked down a corridor toward the Knicks’ jubilant locker room. Houston, who played for New York from 1999-2005, is also the general manager of the G League Westchester Knicks. “I’m processing the win, but I haven’t processed the championship yet.”

Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ engine that could and the Finals MVP, told reporters that he was overwhelmed. After coming through time after time when the Knicks needed him and largely remaining stoic, Brunson finally allowed himself a moment.

After shaking hands with Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, Brunson said that when he turned around and saw his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, he was overcome.

“I walked right to halfcourt, shook Mitch Johnson’s hand, and then turned around and my dad was there, and felt emotional from that point on,” Brunson said.

Brunson’s clutch performance during these NBA Finals will propel him up the ladder of Knicks legends — past Bernard King and past Patrick Ewing.

This puts him at the right hand of Walt Frazier, 81, who has two Knicks championship rings. During the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, I asked Frazier if he thought his stature would change if Brunson led the Knicks to an NBA title. He said it would not, “because people are going to say, ‘He’s only got one ring. Clyde has two.’”

Brunson was a second-round draft selection by the Dallas Mavericks in 2017 and was doubted and second-guessed for much of his early career. Asked how he felt about being on top of the NBA world at age 29, he said it was surreal.

“It hasn’t sunk in,” he said. “I honestly don’t know right now.”

For generations of Knicks supporters, an entire identity has been formed around being “long-suffering Knicks fans.” The new identity of being NBA champions will take some getting used to.

Even for a journalist with more than five decades of experience, putting this moment and these emotions in perspective is a challenge. The only comparison for a fan base is being present when the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs won their first World Series championships this century. Boston’s 2004 championship ended the franchise’s 86-year dry spell; the Cubs’ 2016 title ended a 108-year drought.

Try those on for size.

Still, for a former Knicks player-turned executive like Houston, and a basketball lifer like Rick Brunson, this championship moment marks a series of incredible full-circle moments.

Houston was 2 years old in 1973 when the Knicks won their last championship, and was 25 when he joined the Knicks in 1996. Houston said that before Saturday night’s championship, his best Knicks moment came in 1999, when they reached the NBA Finals.

While they lost that series to the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, Houston said the joy of even reaching the Finals that year set New York City on fire.

“Even though we didn’t win it, it was the greatest moment, because it’s the highest stage you can ever play on,” he said.

Houston said sharing this Knicks team’s climb to the championship was gratifying beyond anything he could have imagined.

“It’s hard to get here,” he said. “Very hard. Being able to be a part of seeing the journey for these guys who you get to spend time with — to see their journey and process individually and collectively — it’s incredible. It’s incredible to be a part of a championship team in New York. It’s kind of hard to process right now.”

Rick Brunson, who celebrates his 54th birthday today, was a month old in May 1973. He was Houston’s teammate on that 1999 Knicks team. On Saturday, he and Jalen became the first father-son duo in NBA history to each reach the NBA Finals with the same franchise. Brunson was able to hug and cry with his son on the victory stand.

“In ’99, it was a great run for us, but I would say now it’s more exciting for me as a father to see your son on the stage and performing,” Brunson said during a recent interview.

When asked about his relationship with his son, Rick Brunson once told me, “The most important thing about a father is that you can’t be a fan. You’ve got to be a father. With my son and me, I’m his father. I’m not your friend, I’m not your buddy, I’m not a fan. He doesn’t cross that line, and I don’t cross that line.”

After Saturday’s victory, Brunson hugged his son in a long embrace that went viral. They crossed the line together.

Jalen Brunson is an NBA superstar. His father was a journeyman player. Brunson said watching his dad claw and scrape for his career taught him how to be clutch and redefined pressure.

“I’ve described pressure in the past,” he said. “My dad being on eight or nine unguaranteed contracts throughout his career and not knowing when you’re going to get cut, when a team is going to move on from you, while your family is on the East Coast, and you are wherever you are in the country — that’s pressure. Working out three times a day in the summertime and watching him push himself just to get a training camp deal, that’s pressure.”

Saturday was an evening of lessons learned and goals achieved.

While the Knicks celebrated on the Spurs’ home court, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ 22-year-old, 7-foot-4 center, spoke to reporters about disappointment.

Throughout the playoffs, Wembanyama has been projected to become one of the greatest players in NBA history, and the Spurs have been touted as a young team destined for multiple championship appearances.

In their Finals debut, they lost three game at home after building double-digit leads in each.

“I think that compared to anything before, this is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment,” Wembanyama said. “I can’t tell you exactly what the lesson is, but we’re learning from that, for sure. I’m learning more than any other time in my life before.”

Much as had happened at Madison Square Garden after Game 4 when the Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit to win, fans lingered here two hours after the final buzzer.

These fans were not the rioters, not the hyenas who had beaten a Spurs fan in New York into a coma — not the fools who had thrown eggs at Wembanyama. They were a legion of long-suffering Knicks fans who had become as much a part of the story as the team.

They took over State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and Rocket Arena in Cleveland earlier in this championship run. Now they were out in force here, fans allowing players to celebrate and bask in the glow of a special moment.

In the end, things turned out perfectly. The Knicks won the championship, but did so away from Madison Square Garden, which become a political landmine in a war of words between New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Knicks owner James Dolan.

Had there been a Game 6 in New York, the Garden once again would have been transformed into a mosh pit of obscene ticket prices, celebrity wealth and grandstanding politicians.

Saturday night was perfect. The joy was focused on the players, friends, family and fans. Now, Mamdani can get back to governing the city while Dolan basks in the glow of a championship and returns to running the Garden.

There will be a parade Thursday. On that day, the New York Knicks will have their moment, and the greatest city on earth can, at long last, cheer.

The post New York Knicks’ NBA Finals victory delivers a new identity appeared first on Andscape.

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From San Antonio to New York City, follow Andscape’s coverage of the 2026 NBA Finals with columnist William C. Rhoden, senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears and more.

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Great organizations leave an imprint that lasts long after the final game.

Bruce Bowen reflects on the values, leadership and culture that defined his years with San Antonio Spurs. Joined by Andscape senior writer Marc J. Spears, Bowen revisits the memorable call from Gregg Popovich that brought him to San Antonio in 2001 and explains why trust, teamwork, and preparation became the foundation of championship success over the next eight seasons. He also shares his perspective on the next generation of Spurs players and what separates good teams from lasting winners.

The post What Spurs culture taught Bruce Bowen about winning appeared first on Andscape.