Long Beach Native Larry Brown Out as Head Coach of NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats

Long Beach native and longtime NBA coach Larry Brown resigned from his post as the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats this week.

With the team having lost six of its last seven games and frustration rising, Brown, who graduated from Long Beach High School, ended his two year stint with Michael Jordan's team.

"I met with coach Brown two weeks ago about the team's performance and what we could do to improve it," Jordan said in the statement. "The team has clearly not lived up to either of our expectations and we both agreed that a change was necessary.

"This was a difficult decision for both of us, but one that needed to be made. I want to thank Larry for everything he has done for our team. He has played a key role in this organization's development, including coaching us to our first-ever playoff appearance last season."

Jordan named former Charlotte Hornets coach Paul Silas interim head coach.

Brown, 70, was 88-104 with the Bobcats and a lowly 9-19 this year. The Hall of Fame coach has over 1,100 career wins and is one of the all-time greats in league history.

"Few coaches in this league carry the type of basketball resume that Larry Brown offers," Jordan said in a statement when he hired him in 2008. "He is one of the great coaches of our game…"

Brown, who played ball at the University of North Carolina, has led his teams to 17 playoff appearances, eight 50-win seasons, seven division titles, three conference championships and one NBA Championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2003-04. He also won an NCAA title with Kansas in 1987-88, making him the only head coach ever to win both an NCAA title and an NBA championship.

It was reported in the Bergen Record that Brown may not be finished with his coaching career just yet. If he is, though, he left a lasting impression on the game.

"He's had a great, great career," Knicks' president Donny Walsh told the New Jersey paper. "Knowing him, it probably hasn't ended. I know he doesn't see himself in any other way but as a coach.

"A guy that's been in it as long as Larry, I don't think there's any sadness in leaving because he's left so many teams in great position. He's helped so many franchises. His legacy is taken care of."