Patrick Ewing Jr. gets an NBDL deal. Are Knicks next?

Photo credit: Game Face

By Lorraine Cwelich

Special to amNewYork

In the fourth quarter of their final 2008 preseason tune-up, the Knicks were down 21 points to the Nets. Suddenly a player named Ewing bounded unfazed into the blinding New York spotlight. Seven points, two dunks, one perimeter shot, a blocked shot and a steal later, Patrick Ewing, Jr. had ignited a uproarious comeback that catapulted the Knicks into their strongest season start in years.

Three days later, on October 27, he was released.

The triumphant ovation Ewing Jr. received when he stepped onto the hardwood was even more overwhelming than when the Knicks won.If New York fans of any sport are hardly sentimental, Knick fans are the most embittered – justifiably so, given the endless indignities that have been heaped on them in recent years.

But since the opposite of love is not hate but indifference, the passion that Knicks fans lavished on the heir to the franchise’s greatest player was not unexpected. Weary of superstar selfishness, the crowd embraced Ewing Jr. as the anti-Starbury.

Donnie Walsh noticed.

When Ewing Jr. became the final roster cut, it was widely attributed to his modest numbers (6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 assists) in his senior year at Georgetown. Under the legendary John Thompson, Jr. (who coached Ewing Sr.) and his son, John Thompson III (Ewing Jr.’s coach), Hoyas are less an offensive juggernaut than exceptionally well-rounded players, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of defense and passing.

The 6’8”, 240 lb. forward, drafted in 2008 in the 2nd round (43rd overall) by the Sacramento Kings, won the Big East Sixth Man of the Year. His agent, the highly influential David Falk, described Ewing Jr. as “a great defender with tremendous athleticism and maturity.”

Sacramento traded Ewing Jr. to Houston on August 14 in a multi-player deal. Barely two weeks later, the rookie was traded to the Knicks. When he found himself a free agent as the 2008-09 season began, he would hardly be blamed if he both jumped at the next offer and resented the Knicks. Neither occurred.

Falk confirmed that Ewing Jr. received offers from several overseas teams. Ewing declined those offers in hopes of rejoining his father’s team. “It’s great because it’s the organization I grew up around,” said Ewing Jr., “But even more because of the direction the organization is going and Coach D”Antoni’s style of offense and defense. To get out and run, I fit into that system well. I had success with that style in high school. In college, it was more of, slow down the basketball. And defense is my specialty.”

Ewing Jr. was a Knicks ball boy from 1995-2000, which involved “getting players towels and water, wiping the sweat off the floor if somebody fell. It was fun for me. I got to play one-on-one with some of the players, Herb Williams, Charles Oakley.”

He talks to his father everyday and keeps in touch with former teammates, including Quentin Richardson, Danilo Gallinari and Nate Robinson. Robinson said, “He’s a good person, always looking out for guys. He got me a PSP; we played Madden and Street Hoops. We went out to eat a few times, watched a movie. He’s a hard worker and he can jump; we had dunk contests after practice. I hope he can be a Knick.”

Coach D’Antoni agrees. “He’s very good in the locker room, funny, guys liked him, I liked him, very winning personality.

“He’s a great kid and very athletic. He should have a future in this league. If he keeps working on his game, down the line he could be a really good player.”

Cuttino Mobley’s roster spot will most likely be filled by a guard and Walsh does not provide progress reports on the ongoing Marbury buyout negotiations. However, Ewing Jr.’s signing to the D-League last Friday and assignment to the Knicks’ Reno affiliate on Monday, after clearing waivers, were promising signs.

Wearing a #33 jersey in his Bighorns debut Monday night, Ewing Jr. scored 15 points in the 114-108 loss to the Utah Flash. His spectacular, reverse alley-oop in the final two minutes was reminiscent of his dunk over Big Baby Davis in Boston during the preseason.

Better still, the Reno Bighorns’ head coach, Jay Humphries, was an assistant coach under D’Antoni in Phoenix. Ewing, Jr. will continue his development in D’Antoni’s uptempo style in Reno until the Knicks are ready to sign him.

If the former hometown hero from Coney Island ever agrees to make way for the newest native son.

Patrick Ewing Jr. (George Kalinsky for Madison Square Garden)

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