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Wednesday morning, just before Mikhail Prokhorov's press conference, he met over brunch with a group of Nets beat reporters in Manhattan. The owner discussed everything from his Soviet youth to his long term plans for the Nets.
The Post has published an edited transcript of the brunch. His longest answer? One on the need for team chemistry.
Among the highlights: the first NBA game he ever attended was a Nets game in the Meadowlands during the 2002 NBA Finals, when the team he would later own lost to the Lakers. Extra added irony: he sat in the owner's box.
Meanwhile, Mark Cuban fully endorsed Prokhorov and hailed him as a "party beast."
"He's going to bring personality. I even took Russian in high school so I'll be able to work on it some. I think he's going to be great," said Cuban. Then, in a swipe at the other New York area NBA owner, Cuban noted, "The Knicks have struggled, and when New York struggles, it makes it harder for the NBA to sell sponsorships, so it's kind of a win-win situation."