It's not that he never did, it's that he never could. They weren't held back by his leadership but by his talent.
Dang Oakster been retired since I don't remember when and he still picking fights. I wonder how many times he picked on Patrick in that locker room?
Rockets was better coached than Knicks in 1994 finals. You can tell rockets was well coached by performance of bench players for the rockets. Olujuwon is all-time blocked shot leader for a reason.
Well, he did lead the Hoyas to the title. So hard to argue with that fact. And while the Knicks never won the title, they were in the running with little to no talent outside of Harper. So he lived up to the hype post draft, and I would argue he improved offensively and lead a weak ass team to the finals. I agree with the sentiment that Olajuwon was better physically. For example, even if Ewing had an improved will and mentality, Olajuwon could still send it back to half court. So think he lost to the better talent no matter the leadership truth or not. Putting his will and leadership against two of the greatest wills and leaders in the game isn't really fair. I mean Olajuwon was top 10 in steals which shows u how hard he was working. And Jordan was fierce. So it's hard to measure where he fit in.
Oakley never holds back, he has an opinion on everyone. From what I have heard, effort and for the most part toughness wasn’t an issue. He would play hurt and play until he had nothing left. I don’t know how strong a leader he was. Riley now seldom speaks of him when listing off the toughest or best players he has coached or been associated with. JVG has always spoke highly of him as a leader. Personally I believe at the end of the day, he just wasn’t as physically gifted as Olajuwon or Robinson. He wasn’t a good enough player to carry a team like Jordan or Bird or Magic or Olajuwon. Ewing was a really good post defender. He was physical, he had a strong motor and blocked shots. He just physically was fast or athletic enough to be dominant at it. On offense he sealed very well to get the pass, he was a strong shooter. However his hands were average, he wasn’t explosive and not a natural passer. He is a Hall of Famer but I just don’t think was good enough to be a true franchise player.
seems like an unnecessary low blow to someone you went to war with for years. if ewing was so bad, why didn't oak do more to help them win? his game was certainly not without weaknesses. it feels like dale davis taking a shot at reggie miller because he didn't beat michael jordan. he wasn't as good, end of story. exactly. ewing was an amazing defensive player who anchored 2 of the more feared defensive teams of their eras in the georgetown hoyas and the early 90's knicks. even got himself to average 28 ppg one season, but he wasn't explosive or lightning quick like hakeem/drob and didn't have mammoth size like shaq. he had a nice jumper, his 3 step move across the lane, and then an assortment of awkward footwork that usually didn't work out. i don't know how one would get the idea he didn't try to lead or work hard enough. if anything, i sometimes get the impression that he thought "i'm the leader, everyone in new york is expecting something from me, i have to make something happen" when it might have been more advisable to go to someone else. sometimes the guy on the other side is just better than you.
So whats a franchise Player to you? Only a championship guy? Harden is not a franchise player? Durant pre warriors issnt? Chauncey Billups is? He was a true franchise player, he just was a level below guys Hakeem and the admiral. His teams went to the finals, he just didnt won anything, but for the most part of it , they where on the mix. I think Ewing is likely a top 50 all time player, while Dream is in the top 10 and Robinson in the top 30-40 or something like that, so theres nothing wrong with being worst than those guys. If a 50 all time player is not a franchise player, i really dont know what a guy must do to be one.
A franchise player to me is a player that you have confidence is good enough to be the best player on a team that is capable of winning a title. Ewing was close but no I don’t think he was that player. He was at best the third best player in the league at his position for the majority of his time in the league. He seldom took over a game in the NBA. I don’t think Ewing is a top 50 all time player at this point either. He is closer to a top 100 player. If you want to define that is a franchise player I won’t argue with you. However to me a franchise player is someone you can look at and say “this person is good enough to lead my team to a title”... if they don’t for some reason, so be it... but I never felt that way about Ewing. Still a Hall of Famer and someone I enjoyed watching for a long time.
I dont fully agree but thats fine. I do think, being the 3rd best at your position during your time dosent mean much. Dirk was a lot of times the 3rd best at power forward, and some season, maybe even 4th for 1 season, behind Duncan, Garnet and Cweb, and i dont think that defines him, just that the pf slot was really stacked at the moment, same as the center position in the 90s. Between Hakeem, Shaq, Robinson, Ewing, Mutombo and some others a bit lesser, i think the position was stacked, and yet Ewing was really good. Aniways, enough internet for today, stay safe! cheers
Ewing defended this man and was against his trade to Toronto for Marcus Camby. Talk about betrayal of friendship.
We weren't that much better than the Knicks - it took us seven games to beat them in the finals. Ewing was a franchise player based on all the definitions above. They were good enough to win the championship. We won by a few plays - Hakeem blocking Starks shot etc. The fact that we were better coached and happened to play better shouldn't take that away from them
Ewing was a legitimate franchise player and really underrated as time has passed. Inches are often the difference between having a championship or not and he had teams legitimately in the running. Can’t speak to what Oakley said but seems like a **** move by an ex teammate. That said Ewing will always be remembered for the “we might make a lot of money but we also spend a lot of money” line so he might not be the sharpest of the era.
I doubt Oakley mended fences with dolan. Dolan banned Oakley from Madison square garden. Oakley seems to be going after the real culprit, Patrick ewing! Or is it Larry Johnson, member of Knicks media.
