Brown in constant touch with Colangelo, loves it

NEW YORK -- It didn't take long for coach Brett Brown to develop a solid relationship with Jerry Colangelo after the 76ers introduced Colangelo on Monday as their chairman of basketball operations.

Brown, the team's third-year coach, said Thursday he communicates "all the time" with the Hall of Famer.

"I think for me to be able to call upon somebody like him and say, `What do you think of that?' is a priceless sounding board for me," Brown said. "I love it. I respect his history.

"When answers come out, you immediately respect the history of which that opinion was formed. It's amazing."

Colangelo, 76. was a four-time NBA executive of the year with the Phoenix Suns.

He is the chairman of the board of directors for USA basketball. Colangelo formerly owned the Suns, the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, and Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.

He began his career with the Chicago Bulls, working as marketing director, scout and assistant to the team president.

He left the Bulls in 1968 with just $200 in his wallet to become the first general manager of the then-expansion Suns. Colangelo had two stints as Suns coach in the 1970s. In 1987, he put together a group that bought that team. Colangelo also held the posts of chief executive officer, managing general partner and president before selling the team in 2004.

Follow and contact Inquirer 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers