Part II: Living in the Shadows - A Patrick Ewing Jr Story

[RMJH4]

Knicks hire Mike Woodson as Head Coach

Mike Woodson will be the Knicks’ coach next season, and he hopes to have Jeremy Lin running his offense.

The team officially hired Woodson on Friday and signed him to a multiyear contract. The decision to retain Woodson from D'Antoni's staff was made quickly and had been widely reported, although working out the contract took some time.

In what was seen as a suprise move, the Knicks only interviewed three other people for the job. Promising assistant's Brian Shaw and Mike Malone, and recently retired Doug Collins. But that was more in hope as Collins left a promising 76ers team to retire. They chose not to interview Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, a move which will disappoint and anger a few, not least Ewing himself.

The next key move will be to re-sign Lin, the Knicks’ point guard sensation, who is an restricted free agent on July 1. General Manager Glen Grunwald left little doubt that the Knicks would do so.

“We can keep him if we want him, and we do want to keep him,” Grunwald said on a conference call. “And I believe that Jeremy had a great experience here, and I believe he wants to come back. So that’s where that is.”

[RMJH4]

Orlando Magic appoint Patrick Ewing as Head Coach

The newly relocated Brooklyn Nets have made a surprising move in appointing a Knicks legend as Head Coach. Brooklyn, who have just moved from New Jersey have long been rivals of the New York Knicks. Now based in the same city, albeit different sides, the two franchises will be competing even more for the same fanbase.

The Knicks decided not to even interview Ewing for their recent Head Coaching position, which angered some Knicks fans. The Knicks instead plumped for D'Antoni's assistant Mike Woodson who has a great report with Knicks owner James Dolan. This move could be seen as being risky for the Nets, but it is also a calculated move to intrigue some New York basketball fans who were born and raised in Brooklyn.

Spike Lee the famous diehard Knicks fan is prime example number 1. A Knicks legend coaching a Brooklyn team in their first season is a good way to get the fans excited.

Ewing, who built his Hall of Fame legacy as the Knicks' All-Star center, retired after the 2001-02 season and became an assistant coach for the Wizards. He then served as an assistant for the Rockets (2003-06) and Magic (2007-12). Both Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and Assistant Ewing were let go along with Star Center Dwight Howard. Ewing has been credited with much of the development in Dwight Howards game. Howard doesn't look like he will be heading to Brooklyn now, but this hire could leave the door open for when Howards contract expires in the summer.

"I love the Knicks," Ewing said, "but the best offer they had for me was NBDL HC?" That referred to the Knicks' offer to Ewing this summer to coach their D-League team, the Erie BayHawks. That certainly seems like an insult to the Knicks legend and may have given Ewing some motivation to put the Nets on top in NYC.

Ewing has had a hard time getting a Head Coaching job, and we asked him why it has taken so long to get to this point.

"I don't know. Maybe they think big men can't think," he said. "The point guard runs the show, but as a center, I'm the leader of the defense, I'm the one that's barking out the defensive schemes, the defensive plays. Just as much as a point guard can think, big men can think also."

He added: "All I did was just keep on working, I kept on getting better, kept on improving, and I knew that one day I would have that opportunity to have somebody believe in me to give me a chance. Today is that day and I am delighted to lead the Brooklyn Nets as Head Coach."

When asked on view of the current roster, Ewing said he was delighted that Deron Williams has resigned, and even more impressed with the trade for Joe Johnson. But the questions on everyone's lips was, can you turn Brook Lopez into the top center in the league?

"Well firstly we have to resign Brook. He's a restricted free agent and he will have a lot of interest around the league, but I would love to work with him. There is a tonne of reasons that Dwight Howard was nearly traded to Brooklyn, and Brook Lopez was one of them. He's a great centerpiece, and if he resigns I will get the best out of him. I'll find Big Bad Brook."

[mavs95]

looks interesting, will be following.