New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing returns to the organization where he began his basketball Hall of Fame career.
The Knicks announced Friday that Ewing will become a basketball ambassador for the franchise where he will assist in basketball and business operations.
“As I said the day my No. 33 jersey went up into the rafters at MSG, I will always be a Knick and I will always be a New Yorker. “I can’t wait to get started in this new role and officially return to the organization I love so much,” Ewing said in a statement. “The Garden has always been my home and I look forward to working with (team president) Leon Rose, coach (Tom) Thibodeau, the team and everyone else who makes this place so special.”
Ewing played 15 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Knicks, helping them become title contenders in the Eastern Conference and leading the team to Game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals.
The Knicks retired Ewing’s number 33 in February 2003 and he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
After playing his final two seasons in Seattle and Orlando, Ewing moved into coaching. He was first an assistant with the Washington Wizards before moving into a similar role with the Houston Rockets. After taking a season off, he joined Stan Van Gundy’s staff in Orlando.
Ewing then spent four years as an assistant with the Charlotte Bobcats before landing his first head coaching job at his hometown, Georgetown University. He coached the Hoyas for six seasons and led them to an NCAA Tournament berth before being fired in March 2023.
Ewing rejoins the Knicks at an exciting time in the organization’s history. They are coming off a 2023-24 season in which they finished second in the Atlantic Division and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals under Thibodeau.
Madison Square Garden was lively again, as it was in the days when Ewing played, thanks to the play of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, among others. Ready to go even further in their quest for a third NBA title in franchise history, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns were among the names the Knicks added in the offseason.