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Facebook.com/SMUMustangs
By Josh Dhani
Founder, Senior Writer

Larry Brown was probably the best thing that happened to the Charlotte Bobcats, helping the young NBA franchise reach their first ever playoff berth back in 2010.

The next season, after a slow start, Brown was fired and then replaced by Paul Silas as head coach. Charlotte would finish 34-48.

Currently, they hold an NBA-worst 7-57 record. Right now, if they lose every game for the season, they'll have the worst winning percentage in NBA history for a season. It would be the worst season since the 1972 Philadelphia 76ers.

After an absence from coaching, the 71-year-old was recently hired to coach the SMU Mustangs. On radio with Dan Patrick on his show, Brown talked about having communication problems with team owner Michael Jordan, and was devastated when he fired him.

"It's one thing for me to get fired, but I have four or five assistants and they're out there not able to work," he said. "And it was the worst. And when your hero fires you... I just couldn't believe it. You know I love the guy, think he's brilliant, but he's around people who don't have a clue. And they won't challenge him. And the more you challenge him, the more you get from him.

"I was sick about it. I haven't spoken to him since. I don't like seeing what's going on."

Jordan would later respond to Brown's comments.

"It's absolutely wrong that I don't want guys to challenge me. And the people who say that aren't in the room," he told the Charlotte Observer.

"The idea that people can't do that is just wrong. Curtis (Polk, team vice chairman) has worked with me for over 20 years and he's never had a problem telling me, 'no.' Rod (Higgins, president of basketball operations) has no problem telling me no. Fred (Whitfield, team president) has no problem telling me 'no.' And Rich (Cho, the team's general manager) is about as direct and candid a person as you'll ever meet."

Jordan bought the Bobcats in 2010 and since then, it has been a struggle for him. For Brown, he wasn't happy at all with how things turned out.

"I'm sick about it because we made the playoffs the first time they ever made the playoffs. We got rid of Raymond Felton without getting anything back -- one of the greatest kids I ever coached in my life. We got rid of Tyson Chandler who only played 50 games or so for us."

Jordan has been known for making costly decisions. As a GM of the Wizards, he drafted the biggest bust as the No. 1 overall pick with Kwame Brown in 2001. Brown says it isn't because of his knowledge, but the people that were around him.

"When I was able to visit with him and pick his brain, he knows, but he's got people around him that just make you sick," he said. "And it was not comfortable. It was almost like there were spies wondering what you were doing and getting back to him. I should have spent more time face to face with Michael because I do see the passion. I think he's hurt right now.

"We all make bad decisions. This draft thing is not a perfect science, but when I talk to him about players, you know strengths and weaknesses, what we need to do to be successful, he's right on point. But he has all these other people that will get in the way, and you can't do it like that."

Jordan responded, but he wasn't surprised by his comments.

"I imagine he was pretty upset we chose to change directions."

Well, what's done is done now. Obviously, Jordan has a lot of things to do this off-season. He has a young team with Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo. They also look to host the No. 1 pick for this summer's draft, looking to land Anthony Davis.

We'll see what he does, but he's going to have to make the changes fast.

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