"If you do something bad, he's calling you out right away" - Domantas Sabonis on the championship pedigree Mike Brown brings to the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings appear to be headed to the postseason for the first time since 2005-2006, thanks in large part to the play of Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox. The All-Star duo recently sat down with GQ for an interview in which they were asked the biggest difference between last years 30-52 team and this years 45-29 team. Fox responded by praising the mindset of head coach Mike Brown, stating:
"Well, [Sabonis] just got here a year ago, in fairness, but for me, I think it is obviously about talent, shooting, and selfless guys who want other guys to succeed. Having a coach [in Mike Brown] who brings a different mindset. He was able to use every player who we gained in a trade last summer or and build an offense around us. I feel like it is perfect for everybody."
Domantas Sabonis added to that, pointing out how Mike Brown has changed the culture:
"I feel like Coach Brown has done a good job of pushing us to be better every day. No one wants to get on his bad side. If you do something bad, he's calling you out right away, so that kind of adds that extra layer to every practice and every game - and then like Fox said, a lot of guys are playing unselfishly. Everyone has the same goal, and that goal is to win as many games as we can to put us in a great position in the postseason."
While Mike Brown has changed the culture of the Sacramento Kings, the roster has also improved considerably. De'Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes are the only two of Sacramento's top-six players to begin the 2021-2022 season with the franchise, while Domantas Sabonis joined the team midway through the season.
What have Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox learned from Mike Brown?
In the same interview with GQ, the Sacramento Kings All-Star duo shared what they have learned from head coach Mike Brown. De'Aaron Fox pointed to the four championships that Brown has won as an assistant coach, stating:
"Oh, for me, I would say, really, a leadership mindset. I feel like he brought that in. Obviously, he's a guy who's won many championships. So just being able to have that, going into games, going into practices, when we're on a losing streak on a winning streak, what this looks like, and I feel like he's helped me with that a lot."
Domantas Sabonis noted that the biggest difference is the hard work that the coaching staff demands, adding:
"Coach comes in every day for practice, and the whole coaching staff is on it. Like he says, they're holding us accountable. They're pushing us. There's not one day that's gonna slide by. So that's really important throughout the course of the season, because it's just gonna prepare us for the moments that matter."
The 2008-2009 NBA Coach of the Year has been able to accomplish what the last eleven coaches of the Sacramento Kings failed to do as he has led the franchise back to the postseason for the first time in 16 seasons. De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis will have a chance to help the Kings clinch a postseason berth when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.