Friend Wesley can save Knicks
ball and senior advisor. It will thrust him from the shadows to the spotlight. Brown says he spoke with Wesley both before and after the hiring was official, and explained why it took Wesley four months to accept.
“I think he was torn, because he honestly felt with what he was doing now is that he was helping a lot of different people,” Brown says. “And I think that's why maybe it's taken him a while to say, ‘Hey, maybe this is the right thing to do at this time in my life.'
“The biggest thing is he cares about (young players). The only reservation I think he has right now is he was helping a number of kids, from all different backgrounds. Now he's going to be with one organization and the numbers are a little different in the people he'll impact. But my belief is he's going to be a trailblazer for a lot of guys who care about the right things.”
Brown trusted Wesley enough to hire multiple people at his recommendation, including KT Turner as an assistant coach at SMU. And when Brown had an NBAcaliber player at SMU named Shake Milton, he recommended to his guard that he use Wesley and CAA as representation.
It's a peek into how the quid pro quo operation works, and Brown says it comes from a caring place with Wesley.
“I got inducted recently into a Hall of Fame in Michigan, and Wes showed up with Rip (Hamilton) just out of blue,” Brown says. “It's always like that — he calls me all the time, asking if I need anything, always checking on me. He's always calling about different individuals asking if we can help them. It's what's he's about. Some guys when they do something for somebody, want everybody to know about it. And it might be for some really good reasons. But Wes does it just because he cares. He knows it's the right thing to do. …He doesn't seek attention at all. As a matter of fact, he shies away from it.”
Brown believes Wesley's relationships will boost New York's chances with top free agents, adding that he “wouldn't be surprised” if Carmelo Anthony returns to the Knicks. Nearly 15 years after Brown's failed stint in MSG, the coach believes the front office of Wesley, Leon Rose and Scott Perry will finally resurrect the Knicks.