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Larry Brown says 76ers have not contacted him

Former 76ers coach Larry Brown threw cold water on a report out of New York that suggested the 72-year-old Brown has been contacted by the Sixers about their vacant coaching job.

Larry Brown threw cold water on a report that suggested he has been contacted by the Sixers about their vacant coaching job. (Michael Mulvey/AP)
Larry Brown threw cold water on a report that suggested he has been contacted by the Sixers about their vacant coaching job. (Michael Mulvey/AP)Read more
    by John N. Mitchell, Inquirer Staff Writer
    Published 

Former 76ers coach Larry Brown threw cold water on a report out of New York that suggested the 72-year-old Brown has been contacted by the Sixers about their vacant coaching job.

Appearing Wednesday morning as a guest on ESPN-FM 97.5 with Tony Bruno and Harry Mayes, Brown said that the Sixers have not contacted him about the job. The report, citing sources close to Brown, first appeared Tuesday on SNY.tv's blog.

Presently the coach of the men's basketball team at Southern Methodist, Brown also was linked to the vacant coaching jobs in Brooklyn and with the Los Angeles Clippers. He said that any connection between him and any NBA team was "hypothetical."

"I love what I'm doing," said Brown, who coached the Sixers from 1997 to 2003 and led them to the NBA Finals in 2001. "But I'm in a situation where I think I can help young people. But I don't ever want to get back into coaching at the professional level unless I have a great relationship with the ownership, and people let me share the knowledge I have learned and work with young people that have the same values that I have."

The biggest reason Brown - who still owns a home on the Main Line - probably would not come back to the Sixers is his disappointment with the firing of Tony DiLeo.

DiLeo was fired as general manager last month after initiating the coaching search. He was replaced by Sam Hinkie, the team's new president of basketball operations and general manager.

"They have new ownership," Brown said. "I think when Tony was let go, I don't think that they would have any interest in somebody like me. I love the team. I love the city. I have always felt that if there was any way I could help as a resource because of the way I was treated I would love to do that. But I think there are probably a lot of great options out there for them."

Workouts. According to an NBA source, the Sixers on Wednesday worked out Steven Adams, Colton Iverson, Alex Oriakhi, Mouhammadou Jaiteh, and Jamelle Hagins in preparation for the June 27 NBA draft.