Marbury on why Larry Brown's lone season in New York didn't pan out: "I don't think that he liked me"

Marbury on why Larry Brown’s lone season in New York didn’t pan out: “I don’t think that he liked me” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Larry Brown has established himself as one of the NBA’s best coaches. With a coaching career that dates back to 1983, Brown has succeeded at every level, winning an NCAA title with Kansas in 1988 before adding an NBA title to his resume in 2004 when he led the gritty Detroit Pistons to a stunning victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

As acclaimed as Brown’s coaching record is, his reputation for being a curmudgeon is also beyond reproach. From his days clashing with iconic guard Allen Iverson during their time on the Philadelphia 76ers to the way he mishandled young stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, Brown has never been afraid to assert his style of play and approach to the game.

While there were many times his methods worked, there were also times when Brown practically torched a campaign by himself. One example was his lone season as head coach of the New York Knicks during the 2005-06 season. According to that team’s leading scorer, Stephon Marbury, the fact that Larry didn’t like him put them on a path for disaster.

Marbury spoke his mind

Akin to his clashes with the Answer in Philly, Brown’s communication skills left a lot to be desired and rubbed Starbury the wrong way.

“I don’t think that he liked me. Because I wasn’t one of the guys that he could talk to any kind of way. I stood up for myself, and he had to respect me — he didn’t like that,” Marbury claimed. “First of all, my father’s from Chattanooga, Tennessee; my mom is from New York — I didn’t come from a broken home. I’m a black kid from the ghetto, but I’m not that black kid from the ghetto that didn’t have any understanding.”

At that time, Marbury was already 28 and had already carved out a place for himself in the league as an All-Star and an All-NBA Team member. A scoring guard who could also create plays for others, he believed he had already earned some cache in the NBA and with the Knicks’ franchise. However, Brown thought otherwise.

“The respect level wasn’t where it should’ve been. You can yell at me as much as you want if I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. But if I’m doing my best, and I’m trying my hardest, and you trying to break me down,” Stephon said. “Now, that’s a little different.”

With the communication lines between the coach and the star player already frayed, the Knicks limped to a 23-59 record and failed to make the postseason. Brown was eventually given the pink slip at season’s end.

Marbury learned a few lessons from Brown

As difficult as that season was for Starbury, he admitted he learned a valuable lesson that he still leverages to this day.

“I learned what not to be from him,” he asserted. “I’m a straight shooter. And I don’t have no problem with Larry Brown. But what happened, and what went on, that’s all gonna remain the same.”

Marbury, however, praised Brown for his business acumen. Larry originally secured a five-year contract worth an estimated $50 million. Yet, after being dismissed just one season in, he negotiated a settlement with the Knicks, walking away with an impressive $18.5 million.

“He showed that he was a great businessman in how he handled what he handled in New York. It wasn’t like he was there for 10, 15 years. Larry Brown was there for one year, and he left. 30 million dollars, one year,” Stephon claimed. “You go to New York, you get 10 million for one year, and do whatever you did that year, and then they buy you out the following year for 20 million dollars. He’s a great businessman.”

Brown was a basketball savant who relished teaching players the right way to play basketball. Unfortunately, his my-way-or-the-highway approach often rubbed players the wrong way. It involved the Knicks’ star player at the time, a decision far from an ideal way to kick off a coaching tenure.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Marbury on why Larry Brown’s lone season in New York didn’t pan out: “I don’t think that he liked me”

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