Who Is Hubie Brown? All You Need to Know About the ESPN Broadcaster’s Net Worth, Career, and More Ahead of His Last NBA Game

When in 1981 Hubie Brown was dismissed from his coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks, he had no idea that setback would lead to his true calling. What started as a detour into broadcasting would blossom into a legendary 44-year journey behind the microphone, where his distinctive voice and basketball genius would educate and entertain generations of NBA fans.

Now, at 91, as Brown prepares to call his final game for ESPN on February 9 between the Philadelphia 76ers and his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks, we look back at the remarkable path of a man who transformed a career crossroads into a broadcasting legacy.

After 21 years of invaluable service to ESPN, Hubie Brown will have his farewell game on February 9 at 2 p.m. ET, as the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Bucks. This isn’t just a big loss for the media outlet, but for the entire NBA community, which will be saying goodbye to a true gem, who lived and breathed basketball.

Before the game kicks off, let’s take a quick look at the details of every aspect of this legendary figure starting with his net worth.

While ESPN hasn’t disclosed his exact deal, an analyst of his stature is certainly worth a multi-year contract. His salary with the media outlet was around $95,459 per year. Every penny of that amount reflects the experience and effort he’s dedicated over half a century. But where exactly did it all begin?

Details of Hubie Brown’s basketball career

“It goes back to high school,” Brown said in an interview with NBA.com. He attended St. Mary of the Assumption High School, where the basketball team was one of the best in the state. After achieving great success at a young age, Brown received a basketball scholarship, which led him to Niagara University. Hubie Brown played almost a season with the Rochester Colonels, but his true passion lay elsewhere in coaching.

Brown’s coaching journey began with St. Mary Academy in 1955. Not only was he a genius at teaching basketball, but baseball also fascinated him, and he wanted to instill that passion in young minds as well. But when it came down to choosing, the Pennsylvania-born went with basketball. He coached at high schools like Cranford and Fair Lawn, then moved on to prestigious colleges like William & Mary and Duke.

His specialty was defense and those perfect no-look passes, which he loved teaching at basketball camps. It wasn’t long before his skills got noticed and in 1972, he made the jump to the bigger pond, the NBA as an assistant coach with the Bucks. Now, he’ll be retiring after the Bucks game– a full circle for him.

After gaining two seasons of experience in the league under Larry Costello, Brown was ready for the head coaching challenge. And he proved his worth by leading the Kentucky Colonels to the ABA Championship in 1975. Fortunately, the following year, the ABA and NBA merged, giving Brown the opportunity to join the Atlanta Hawks.

“I don’t worry about anybody else. Because you want to be able to paint the picture, you want to be able to educate the fan to another level of expertise, and you realize it’s a team doing it, not yourself,” Brown believed. With that mindset he worked with the team.

During his five seasons with the Hawks, Hubie Brown proved himself to be a great coach, with his NBA Coach of the Year award as proof. However, his time with the team was cut short. In 1981, the franchise fired him and that led him to discover his love for broadcasting, which he began to focus on. But his coaching career wasn’t over yet.

Brown’s next stop was with the Knicks, where his coaching journey ended in 1986. On the other hand, that also marked the beginning of his full-time career in broadcasting with CBS. Soon, he became the face of the media outlet, covering the NBA division. As his popularity grew, so did his presence behind the microphone. Brown was approached by local broadcasting channels for the Sixers and Pistons, and finally, in 1990, he made his way to TNT.

But there was still some basketball left in him to teach. So, in 2002, he returned to the league with the Grizzlies, staying for two seasons and earning another Coach of the Year title before closing that chapter for good. From then on, his heart and soul were fully dedicated to broadcasting.

His stunning analysis of the game and vast knowledge made him one of the greats, carrying him through to the age of 91. And one last time, with the same passion, he will take on the microphone to deliver a show that will be remembered for ages.