On May 25, the Los Angeles Lakers publicly announced a deal with their new head coach, Mike Brown. The former Cleveland Cavaliers coach will earn approximately $18 million in the next four years, with a team option in the fourth.

With the retirement of Laker legend coach Phil Jackson after the 2010-11 season, the head coaching position was just one of the many open positions that the Lakers were hoping to fill before next season. A 4-0 collapse in the second round of this year's playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks proved to Laker owners Jerry Buss and Jim Buss that the Lakers needed to completely rebuild - around Kobe, of course.

Brown was supposedly the leading candidate for the Golden State Warriors position, so the Buss's felt urgency to hire Brown first.

Hiring a defensive-minded head coach with winning experience was first priority. Brown accumulated a 272-138 record with the Cavs in the five years that was labeled the LeBron era. Brown coached the Cavs to an NBA Finals in 2007, and two Eastern Conference Finals. In 2009, Brown won Coach of the Year.

We've met with Mike and are very impressed with him, stated a public relations department release. In addition, we have an outline for an agreement in place and hope to sign a contract within the next few days.

What helped Brown was that he coached one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball, LeBron James. Experience with LeBron will be helpful in coaching Kobe.

The hiring comes after Brown took a year off in 2010 after being fired by the Cavs despite only losing 37 games in his final two seasons.

But now Brown's focus turns to Hollywood, where NBA star Kobe Bryant is searching for at least one more title run with the Lakers.

Sources close with the Lakers told SI.com that Kobe was surprised by Brown's hiring. Kobe wasn't apart of the hiring process. If the lifetime Laker was, he would have strongly pushed for the hiring of Lakers assistant Brian Shaw.

Based on Kobe's quote at the end of the 4-0 drought of the Lakers in the playoffs, the all-star should be pleased with the hiring of the defensive coach.

If you're building a championship team, your DNA always has to start with the defensive end of the floor. Always, exclaimed Bryant. I'm a firm believer in that. I don't believe in building a championship team on offense. It has to be built on defense and rebounding. Period.

2011 NBA Finals Missed So Lakers Hire Mike Brown As New Coach Pics

Above watch a video of Mike Brown talking with ESPN television hosts.


Above is a LA Lakers New Head Coach, Mike Brown, a 2011 photo.