Patrick Ewing has joined ex-rival Michael Jordan by agreeing to become a Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach.
Ewing, the New York Knicks Hall of Fame center, interviewed for head-coaching positions and has made clear his desire to be the top man on the bench. He began his career as an assistant coach after retiring in 2002.
From 2003 to 2006, Ewing was an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, before taking the same job under Stan Van Gundy in his first season with the Orlando Magic in 2007. Ewing, an 11-time all-star, played for the Magic in his final season as a pro and his coaching career took off once he came back to Orlando.
The Magic went on a magical run to the 2009 NBA Finals with Dwight Howard as the centerpiece. Ewing worked extensively with Howard on playing the center position.
The Magic eventually went on to lose to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, but not before Ewing was recognized for his major growth as a coach. He started with the Washington Wizards in 2003.
As a Knick, Ewing and Jordan with the Chicago Bulls engaged in yearly battles that are of NBA lore. But while they battled on the court, they were friends off it, sharing the same agent and serving as teammates on NBA all-star teams and the 1992 Olympics “Dream Team.”
