Patrick Ewing
Since retiring from the Association in 2002, Knicks Legend and Space Jam star Patrick Ewing has been trying to get a head coaching spot. After short stints on the bench as an assistant with the Wizards and Rockets, Ewing found success as part of Stan Van Gundy’s Magic staff from 2007-2012. The 11-time NBA All-Star helped the Dwight Howard led Magic reach the finals in ‘09, before being let go when Stan the Man got axed in the 2012 offseason. After being owned by Michael Jordan once again when he was denied the Bobcats head spot, Ewing apparently passed up the Knicks D-League coaching job, in hopes that he would get a head gig in the NBA.
Besides his resolve to be a head coach, pros of a Ewing hiring would include familiarity with the pressures of New York, an ability to work with talented big men and if you want to be cynical, no identifiable “system” for D-Will to clash with. To that end, perhaps Ewing’s experience as an NBA star would allow him to communicate more effectively with D-Will than either Jerry Sloan or Avery Johnson were able to.
Not to mention that Ewing was spotted in the Nets locker room in Boston after the Nets-Celtics game…
-William Rausch
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