Mike Brown, who guided a young Cleveland Cavaliers to within one game of the Eastern Coference finals in his first year, was rewarded after the club exercised his fourth-year contract option on Thursday.

The 36-year-old, the second-youngest coach in the NBA, originally inked a three-year, 10 U.S. million dollars deal with a club option for a fourth campaign with he was hired last June. He will now be under contract with the Cavaliers through the 2008-09.

"We firmly believe the Cavs have the right person on the bench as we build towards the future," General manager Danny Ferry said.

Cleveland was 50-32 during the regular season and defeated the Washington Wizards in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

The Cavaliers then, however, lost a seven-game series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the Detroit Pistons.

Source: Xinhua