Randy Brown Interview: Spurs to Win It All, Plus His Picks for the 2026/27 NBA Season

Randy Brown won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, including the 72-win 1995/96 season, over a 12-year career that also took him through the Sacramento Kings. He later moved from the court into the front office. Ahead of the new NBA season tipping off on October 20, we spoke to Brown about his title pick, this year's playoff sleepers, how the game has changed since his playing days, and the one opponent he still calls the best he ever faced.

His Picks for the 2026/27 Season

Brown starts with the big one: who lifts the trophy next summer.

To start, we have to ask ahead of the start of the NBA season on the 20th of October, who do you think will be taking home the Championship this season?

San Antonio Spurs. The experience that they gained in the 2026 playoffs and from playing in the NBA Cup last year will lead them to a championship run in 2027. Young team with valued playoff experience will make them tougher to beat next summer.

Who is your biggest wildcard to make it to the Playoffs this upcoming season?

I'll pick one team from each conference. I believe the Washington Wizards will make the playoffs because they added key, veteran pieces. All-Star in Trae Young, a healthy Anthony Davis, and a healthy Khris Middleton. They already have Alex Sarr and drafted AJ Dybantsa. If this team stays healthy, they are loaded and could win a playoff series. For the West, although the conference is loaded with talented teams, the Utah Jazz are secretly storing young talent. Acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. via trade last season, a healthy Lauri Markkanen, drafting Darryn Peterson. If this team stays healthy, they are on the brink of shocking the NBA this season.

Which draft pick will make the quickest impact in the NBA?

Caleb Wilson. Impressive Summer League performance: his grit, his activity, and his passion for the NBA game are already showing. He will showcase his personality in the Bulls uniform and also in the community.

More specifically, who do you think is the best point guard in the league?

Steph Curry. I believe his skillset is above a lot of great point guards around the league. His size isn't an issue in the NBA anymore. His scoring ability, shooting ability, and ball-handling ability is all uncanny. You can tell the work he puts into his craft to become the player that he is.

On the other hand, are there any players where you just don't understand the hype?

Not at all, I feel any player in the NBA has worked hard to get to this point and deserves all the hype. I genuinely believe that.

How the Game Has Changed

Brown retired the year before the NBA banned hand-checking, and he sees a very different league today.

The hand-checking ban came in the year after you retired, how do you think you would have managed under today's rules?

I wasn't a polished offensive player; but my defensive abilities, equipped with quick hands and quick lateral foot movement would've been my best asset. Because the hand-checking rule was eliminated, the majority of NBA teams teach taking away angles from offensive players without using their hands.

What do you feel is the biggest difference in the game since you played?

Athleticism: the NBA is getting younger and more athletic. Due to the extensive training for NBA players today, more NBA players are more focused in the offseason and polishing their skills: ball-handling, 3PT shooting, etc. Additionally, the concept of positionless players has become a huge priority for building NBA teams. Shooting has become a major component in the NBA game today from all five positions.

It's almost 30 years since that 72-win title run started, does the NBA today still feel like the same sport you played, or something completely different?

The NBA has definitely changed: 1. style of play (spacing and more 3 point shooting), 2. young rosters, and 3. player athleticism is at an all time high, 4. due to free agency there's multiple player movement from team to team.

You made the transition from player to the front office, so we wanted to ask if there's any current players you'd love to see get into coaching?

Rajon Rondo: although Rondo isn't a current player, his knowledge and passion for the game would be great to see on the sidelines.

The Knicks, the Bulls and the Kings

Brown weighs in on last season's champions and on the two franchises he played for.

Last season was one for the history books after the Knicks ended a 53 year wait for the Championship. What gave them the edge?

The Knicks got hot and got into a very good rhythm offensively at the right time, right before the playoffs which continued throughout their playoff run. Because they were able to put some key players from Villanova on the same roster, then adding a talented guy like Karl-Anthony Towns, allowed them to come together as a team at the perfect time right before the playoffs.

Your old team, the Chicago Bulls, struggled last season setting an unfortunate record streak of 11 losses in a row. They changed up a lot in March trading away long-standing players like Vucevic, White and Dosunmu, as well as parting with their head coach and general manager in April. What do you think the Bulls need to do to prevent this being their fifth consecutive season missing the playoffs?

Complete player development and commitment from younger players to get better from every game this coming season. The Bulls need to improve their roster from the NBA Draft, as well as add key veteran pieces to the roster via free agency.

Another one of your former teams, the Sacramento Kings, had a pretty dismal season with 22 wins to 60 losses. How do the Kings get back to being a competitor in the NBA?

The Kings have to build their roster through the draft and maintain consistency with their roster by keeping players together. Not being healthy has also slowed the Kings' process to improve in the Western Conference.

If you could walk into any team as it is now and play point guard, who would you choose and why?

I would choose the Chicago Bulls. Because playing in the United Center in front of Bulls fans is always exciting.

The NBA Cup, the All-Star Game and the 65-Game Rule

Brown backs both the in-season tournament and the league's minimum-games rule, with one caveat.

In December, it will be the fourth year of the NBA Cup, the Knicks won last time around, who is your pick to do so in 2026?

Chicago Bulls. Why not? They have a young and hungry team and the excitement of playoff basketball early in the season gives the Bulls an opportunity to compete in playoff atmosphere games.

Some fans aren't onboard with the Cup, saying when you add it on top of the All-Star Game, there's too many distractions. Should the NBA just scrap the All-Star Game to focus on the Cup? Or vice versa?

I am a fan of both. The in-season Cup tournament creates playoff excitement early in the season. The All-Star Game recognizes and celebrates those players that have worked hard on their games. Fans deserve to recognize and celebrate NBA stars as well.

The NBA introduced the 65-minimum rule in the 2023/24 season, meaning players have to have played at least 20 minutes in 65 games to be eligible for the end-of-season awards (62 if they face a season-ending injury). Last season it made LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Jalen Williams and Tyrese Haliburton ineligible, all of whom had appeared in one of the All-NBA teams the season prior. There's also been a lot of talk about how the rule can encourage players to play through injuries. Do you think the rule is helping or harming?

I like the rule because it eliminates the thought of players missing games just because of the load management factor. I think there should be exceptions to the rule due to injuries.

The 72-Win Bulls and the Best He Ever Faced

Brown closes on the team that made history and the player who left the biggest mark on him.

Only your 1995/96 Bulls and the 2015/16 Golden State Warriors have gone over the 70 win mark. Do you see another team doing so soon? And who?

I thought the OKC Thunder were on pace for a 70 win season during the 2024-25 NBA season... 1. There are so many good teams in the NBA right now. I'm sure Commissioner Adam Silver is very happy there is so much parity in the NBA right now which makes it difficult for any team to win 70 regular games. 2. Injuries and players missing games due to load management may prevent teams from winning 70 regular season games.

You've been vocal about trying to reunite Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for the 72-win team's 30th anniversary, where do things stand with that now?

I'll continue my attempt in trying to reunite all my Bulls teammates. That 1996 Bulls team accomplished something surreal. It's never too late.

Finally, you played with some of the best players the sport has ever seen, including Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. But who's the best you've ever played against and one reason why?

Tough question... I've played against so many great players during my 12-year NBA career. Allen Iverson: AI was an absolute pleasure to play against. I'm a huge fan still today. The impact he had on the NBA with his size was absolutely amazing to watch. His footprint on the game eliminated the stigma that small players can't play and dominate in the NBA. He's a cultural icon to so many current NBA players and his impact is still seen on the game.