In reply to by boliver46

DrMantisToboggan

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:27 PM ^

I don't know how good of an X's and O's guys he is. I have to assume he is fairly good after playing for so long and then coaching in the NBA for a while. 

Even if he is only average, I would think that he is going to be a fantastic recruiter. He grew up in Mass, played in DC, then NY. He should dominate east coast recruiting. Georgetown's new facilities are extremely nice. A coach with average coaching ability that pulls in top 10 talent can still have a very successful career at Georgetown.

In reply to by boliver46

lilpenny1316

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:29 PM ^

He's never been a HC, but spent his entire post-playing career as an assistant.  If he can keep the DC/Baltimore talent home, he should at least have G'town back in the tournament regularly.

FauxMo

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^

Here's a good Zach Galafianakis joke... 

"My girlfriend looks a little like Charlize Theron, and a LOT like Patrick Ewing..." 

SFBlue

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:38 PM ^

Georgetown has a history of hiring from within. The guy after JT II (Esherick) was a long-time assistant who had only ever played or coached at Georgetown, and then there was JT III. Sounds to me like Georgetown is having a hard time letting go of the 80s glory days. 

uncle leo

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:50 PM ^

With their heart. Hometown hire.

Maybe he'll work out at the college ranks, but I'd definitely be a tad concerned about hiring someone who's been an assistant at the NBA for about 15 years now with seemingly never having his name come up for HC jobs. He's not a hot name in coaching.

BursleyBaitsBus

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^

Ewing was never hired due to the big man stigma in the NBA. They're perceived as dumber than their guard counterparts. I hope Ewing proves people wrong in that big men can actually become good coaches too

uncle leo

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^

Hard to believe, sorry. If he knows the game, he can relate to anyone.

Lawrence Frank never played a day in the NBA and carved out a long head coaching career. Other coaches have played very little in the league, if at all.

 

Steve in PA

April 3rd, 2017 at 6:23 PM ^

And there is plenty of speculation that is the reason that Big Man Play has been in decline for a long time.  Guards are getting HC and assistant jobs not bigs.  They don't know how to play the position and struggle to teach it.

 

Steve in PA

April 3rd, 2017 at 6:23 PM ^

And there is plenty of speculation that is the reason that Big Man Play has been in decline for a long time.  Guards are getting HC and assistant jobs not bigs.  They don't know how to play the position and struggle to teach it.

 

Perkis-Size Me

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^

The guy could certainly play. But can he coach? His time spent coaching, especially at the college level, is pretty slim. In fact, I don't think he's coached in college, period. 

Maybe it'll work out and he'll be a star. But my immediate gut reaction is that Georgetown hired him because they wanted the hometown hero coming back riding in a white horse. Does he know how to relate to kids? To recruit? Maybe he does, I don't know. But only time will tell how good he turns out to be. 

Sopwith

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:17 PM ^

Because if he can't... I dunno, he probably needed to cut his teeth as HC somewhere else first. Seems a little more Hoke than Harbaugh in terms of "best man available."

Primary qualification seems to be "can handle being yelled at by John Thompson, Jr."

remdog

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^

no head coaching experience (unless you count associate head coach for the Charlotte Hornets).  It seems like a crap shoot.

VinegarStrokes

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:46 PM ^

as a die-hard knicks fan, one of my most vivid ewing memories occured when he led the player's assoc. during the 1998 lockout and spwed this gem in an interview, "it's true, we make a lot of money. but we spend a lot of money, too."

snarling wolverine

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^

I don't know how good of a coach he is, but I think it's always cool to see a legendary guy coaching his alma mater.

Is he going to have his team wear Ewing shoes?  That'd be awesome.

Mr. Yost

April 3rd, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^

They hired a search firm to get Ewing. That would be like Michigan hiring a search firm to get Brady Hoke or Jim Harbaugh.

Coack K finally retires and Duke going to hire a search firm to find out about this coach at Arizona St. named Hurley?

BlueinOK

April 3rd, 2017 at 5:08 PM ^

I love this hire. He has tons of experience as an assistant coach and obviously as a player. He could be an awesome coach there for years...But he could flame out as well. That's no different than most candidates out there.