Basketball On The Internet.

ONE of the best aspects of Brett Brown being named head coach of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers is he is the closest thing we have to an Aussie coaching in The Show.

Mike Dunlap never endeared himself to the broader basketball community during his three year stint as Adelaide 36ers coach and Chris Jent only had one season of NBL with North Melbourne in 1995.

It’s kind of a hoot that the only two men with NBL experience to coach in the NBA before Brown are inexorably linked to him.

It was Brown who coached the Giants to the 1994 NBL Championship, beating Dunlap’s 36ers in the Grand Final series 2-0.

Then a year later as North Melbourne defended its crown, Brown brought in Jent as his import for the year when Paul Maley aggravated his back and was out for the season.

Maley had given Brown 19.4ppg at 48 per cent, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in North’s run to the title.

But Jent was a more-than-adequate import replacement, delivering 25.7ppg at 45 per cent, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists as North finally surrendered its title to Perth Wildcats in a terrific 1995 Grand Final series.

But I digress.

What makes Brown “ours” is not just the fact he was an assistant coach on two of the Boomers’ most successful Olympic campaigns – the Bronze Medal playoffs of 1996 in Atlanta and 2000 in Sydney.

Although that helps.

Or that he was Boomers coach last year at the London Olympics.

Although that also helps.

What makes him “ours” is the fact he is intrinsically woven into the fabric of our sport's history, and that’s from the moment he first arrived from the US.

For example, while he was assisting the doyen, Lindsay Gaze at Melbourne Tigers from 1988-1993, he also snuck in a SEABL season as Bulleen Boomers head coach in 1992.

Drederick Irving, who played at Boston University – where Brown also played under the great Rick Pitino – was the import recruited for Bulleen.

Irving’s son Kyrie would be born in Melbourne during his import stint, creating a lifelong Australian connection for the young NBA superstar.

Small world, eh?

But who do you find in the middle of that?

Brett Brown.

When the Giants fell on hard financial times, Brett was out there spruiking in the community to find the backing that kept the club alive.

And when he returned from his first stint at the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, he took on the big challenge of continuing to build the Kings’ brand in Sydney at a time when basketball’s flavour had turned sour in the wider community.

What you see is what you get with Brett – dedication, candor and honesty.

Dealing with him regularly through the 1994 finals campaign as the Giants and 36ers headed toward the inevitable showdown (and he won Coach of the Year honors) was a joy.

Can still see the balloons raining down at The Glasshouse and Brown being sprayed with champers.

He was a joy the following year too when the All Star Game was in Adelaide and he could not do enough to promote the match in which he was coaching the South team.

I also learned a hard basketball lesson about who you can trust in our sport when I unwisely shared something Brown had told me in confidence during his early days in Sydney.

I hugely shot myself in the foot on that occasion but Brett was very good about it, after, justifiably I humbly submit, biting my head off.

He does forgive and forget, our working relationship left unharmed when he had every right to alter that, and his candor since has remained refreshing.

Even when we clashed, as we did when he rang me from San Antonio post-2010 FIBA World Championship to challenge my tournament summary, it was a civil and entertaining exchange of viewpoints.

I had been critical of the Boomers’ 58-87 loss to Slovenia, a country of just over 2 million people, which ended Australia’s tournament at the quarter-final stage.

Brown pointed out that despite the country’s population, basketball was its main sport and Slovenia had four NBA players on its roster.

“Man, you made them sound like Sweden or something,” he said.

It still makes me smile.

As the silent saga of his 76ers courtship has been unfolding, he has remained candid and forthright, as always.

Many already believe his presence in the No.1 seat in the City of Brotherly Love can only mean good things for young Aussies with NBA ambitions.

Just as they know who he is, he will know who they are, giving him a leg-up on 29 other head coaches.

Fortunately, he has the long-term deal he was hoping for which not only protects him and his family, but also genuinely allows him some time to rebuild the brand.

It’s been a long time since Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Julius Erving, Marc Iavaroni, Moses Malone, Bobby Jones and Co routed the LA Lakers for the NBA Championship.

Thirty years in fact.

And a long time since Charles Barkley turned heads in Philadelphia.

Now that Brett has a chance to build and deliver, you can rest assured our true blue Aussie connection will be apples.

And Aussie NBA fans have another team – beside the Spurs and Golden State Warriors – to keep a connected eye on.

Today’s online report: http://bit.ly/14IL1QL