http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?wcd=13970 Irony not lost on Rockets’ Ewing By Joey Richards The Daily News Published October 05, 2003 GALVESTON — The irony of the situation isn’t lost on Patrick Ewing. Houston beat Ewing and the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA Finals for the first of the Rockets’ two-consecutive NBA titles. Now Ewing and Jeff Van Gundy, an assistant coach for the Knicks in ’94, are Rockets themselves, trying to finally win what slipped away in Game 7 in the NBA Finals in ’94. “It’s ironic, since they’re the team that beat us back in ’94, and Jeff and I are back on the staff again with these guys,” Ewing said. Ewing has since retired as a player, and Van Gundy is the Rockets’ new head coach. But the goal remains the same — win a NBA title. Instead of battling down low in the paint, the 7-foot Ewing is on the Rockets’ staff as an assistant coach to teach and pass on the knowledge he gained during 17 years as a player. And that knowledge isn’t limited to the big man’s role. Ewing wasn’t given the job just to tutor 7-6 center Yao Ming. “I’m not just a big man’s coach,” Ewing said. “I’m here to coach everybody. Even though I did play the position and I have a lot of knowledge to try and relate to him (Yao), I have a lot of knowledge about all the aspects of this game.” Van Gundy has made that point clear, too. “I think it’s a little bit overstated,” Van Gundy said about Ewing’s role with Yao. “I think what he has to offer, everyone can benefit from equally. That includes Yao.” So are the “little” guys like guards Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis ready to work with a big guy like Ewing? “Naw, he’s a big man’s coach,” Cuttino said, just kidding of course. In fact, Mobley and Francis are eager to work with Ewing. “He brings experience,” Mobley said. “He’s been in the situation that we want to get to. So, when those times come, Pat will be right there helping us out.” Francis grew up in the Washington, D.C., area and played college basketball at Maryland. He followed Ewing throughout his college days at nearby Georgetown and his years as a pro at New York, Seattle and Orlando. So, Francis treasures the opportunity to finally work with Ewing — someone who has extensive playoff experience and played in two NBA Finals (’94 and ’99). Francis, who is beginning his fifth season, has yet to reach the playoffs with the Rockets. “He’s been there before,” Francis said. “He knows what it takes. He’s one of the top 50 guys to ever play in this game.” Francis doesn’t just want to pick Ewing’s brain. He believes the big man can show him and the other guards what it takes to elevate their game on the court. “He’s been with the big dogs,” Francis said. “He’s played with good guards. He’s played with guards who like to play a lot of defense, too.” Not that Ewing isn’t looking forward to working with Yao, who is expected to join the team today on the third full day of training camp at Texas A&M at Galveston. Yao, the Rockets No. 1 pick last year, led China to the Asian men’s basketball title on Wednesday in China. “I think I can help him with a lot,” Ewing said. “Like I said, I did play the position, and I think I was a very good post player. When he gets here, I have a lot of things I’d like to show him.” Yao, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2002 draft, averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.79 blocks per game as a rookie last year. He showed flashes of brilliance, but it’s evident he still has a lot to learn before he can be compared to the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal and, of course, Ewing. “I think he’s a very good player,” said Ewing, the first pick overall in the ’85 draft and an 11-time NBA all-star. “I think he’s a great player. He has a lot of potential, and the sky’s the limit.” The same might be said about Ewing’s role as coach. This is just his second year as an assistant. He got his first taste last year with the Washington Wizards. “He’s learning his way,” Van Gundy said. “It’s only his second year as an assistant, but I believe in him. I believe in what he stood for as a player, and I believe in what he stands for as a coach.” Ewing and Van Gundy back together again. Again, a touch of irony the reunion comes as Rockets, and it’s a bit more ironic they get a new start on the same Texas A&M at Galveston court the Rockets called their home away from home back in ’94, when they denied Ewing and Van Gundy a title. The Rockets trained here before the season and during the playoffs in both ’94 and ’95. “Hopefully, it’ll work out in our benefit the way that it did with them,” Ewing said. “Let’s knock on wood.
I'm pumped to have Ewing on the staff. We need Yao to get more physical in the paint, Patrick will help him with that. He will also be with Yao all the time since he's a coach, so we have a big man to work with him constantly instead of just during the summer. Ewing was one of the best jump shooting big men ever to play the game so he'll teach Yao how to utilize his perimeter shot to take advantage of guys like Shaq. To bad we couldn't get a former guard as coach, that would have helped a ton!
Nice article. I think Ewing is going to be a big plus for us this year. He just brings that attitude and veteran experience that hopefully will run off on our young team. We need it.
Hopefully, he's better at passing knowledge than he was at passing the ball out of the post. I have a bad feeling about Ewing...
I still at times can't believe EWING is a Rocket. He is a Knicks ICON. But if he can teach what he used to do to our big men then I think he will be a plus. So, it will be an interesting SEASON for sure.
A championship doesn't make you a better teacher. If it did, Luc Longley would be an assistant coach for the Rockets. Patrick is fine, I don't know why it's so hard for people to accept him as a coach. People rip athletes for not letting go and leaving it on the court and getting passed it, yet there are fans who hate Ewing because he beat Houston in root to a national championship TWENTY YEARS AGO! Or people who don't like Ewing because the Knicks were a rivals of the Rockets, never mind the fact that Patrick and Dream are long retired.
DaDa, picture a conversation between Yao and Hakeem. And if that isn't enough, throw Moses in to boot. It could be worse.
Rocks Mill, Read the Ewing thread and understand why I dislike him so much. I don't mind him as a basketball player, it is his horrid character that I dislike. DD
Are you comparing Hakeem to Luc Longley... Please don't. Ewing is a classless act and it has nothing to do with him playingfor the Knicks against the Rockets. He is a thug and an egotistical S.O.B. He always has been and probably always will be. I don't want him influencing Yao. Yes he had some skills but so did a lot of other big man, who don't come with as much negative baggage. Hell I would rather have walton mentor Yao. Another thought is Van Gundy is not a good judge of character and coaching talent. Because as talented as I thought Ewing was I never thought of him as an overly smart player. Never... And certainly not coach material. Perhaps Van Gundy just wanted an enforcer/bodyguard to catch his back.
have you seen a proctologist lately because there is something coming out of your arse. you have no real basis for any of this. this is all just what you want to believe.
It's odd to see people who have never coached so much as a little league game slag on the coaching ability of a future NBA Hall of Famer. Love him or hate him, Ewing was a great player who achieved what he did through sheer hard work. I don't agree with his opinions on this or that but so what? He's the Rockets' coach, not their pastor. All that matters is what he teaches them about what goes on on the basketball court, something he knows a bit about. It'd be nice to have another former Rocket on the staff, but there's no sense whining about it. I'd hire Satan himself as the assistant coach if it got us a championship.
