Patrick Ewing is a big name. He’s also a long time NBA assistant coach who has yet to land a head coaching job. While a number of people he has worked for — including his current head coach Steve Clifford in Charlotte — have touted Ewing, some around the league have him typecast as a big man coach. Ewing is not a big self-promoter, which doesn’t help. Finally, there are rumors that has not had great interviews the couple times he did get a shot (but as anyone who has had a job interview knows, that can take some practice to get good at).
Ewing deserves a shot.
He’d love that shot with the New York Knicks if they make a change, as he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
The marketing department in Madison Square Garden would love Ewing to get the job.
However, Phil Jackson and the Knicks were not calling Ewing a couple of years ago when Derek Fisher was hired, and they likely will not call Ewing now. Why? Because he’s not a triangle guy. And Jackson appears wed to proving that the triangle can still thrive in today’s NBA (and prove he’s the smartest guy in the room doing so). That’s why Jackson seriously considering keeping Kurt Rambis in the job, and why you hear names like Brian Shaw getting recycled.
But Jackson needs to think out of his box (or triangle, as it were). Ewing deserves an interview and a serious look. And if not the Knicks, another team should take a long look.
