Ten years ago, Mike Brown was coaching a LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, getting swept in the process.

In only six days, he will be the acting coach of the Golden State Warriors, facing a much-improved version of the Cavs of yesteryear and dealing with stopping a full-fledged King James with his eye on the prize.

Funny where life takes people in the span of a decade.

“It's all over the place. It's not something that I can hide from, or where I'm from,” Brown told reporters Friday afternoon. “All I said is it is what it is. I don't have any control over what the storyline is going to be. It's a little ironic that things happen in life this way.”

“I was talking to my boys about it. It's one of those things, especially in the NBA, it's like ‘The Lion King‘ – it's just the circle of life. How everything just kinda keeps getting back or revolving back to where it once was. You just gotta take it in stride, and whatever happens happens.”

While Brown might have an advantage of knowing James as a player, he has also improved in several areas since 2007 and expanded his repertoire from a hopeful heir to the throne to the undeniable face of the league.

Brown coached the Cavaliers from 2005-10 and was fired after the Cavs lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. He was hired yet again in 2013 to replace Byron Scott, but was consequently let go after the end of the season, yielding only 33 wins.

The long-tenured coach joined the Warriors at the beginning of this season when Luke Walton left to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.