Patrick Ewing Joins Knicks in New Ambassador Role; Will Work with Front Office

The New York Knicks announced Friday that Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing has been named the organization's basketball ambassador and will assist with basketball and business operations.

Ewing, 62, spent 15 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Knicks, earning 11 All-Star nods, seven All-NBA selections and the 1985-86 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, while also leading the Knicks to their most recent NBA Finals appearance in 1999.

The 7-footer got into coaching following the conclusion of his playing career, serving as an assistant with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets before holding the head coaching job at his alma mater, Georgetown, from 2017 to 2023.

After going just 75-109 with one NCAA tournament appearance during his six seasons at Georgetown, Ewing was fired after the 2022-23 season.

That opened the door for the legendary big man to make his way back to the Knicks organization, and he said the following Friday about his new role:

"As I said the day my number 33 jersey lifted 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 position and to officially be back with the organization that I love so much. The Garden has always been my home and I'm looking forward to working with [team president] Leon Rose, Coach [Tom] Thibodeau, the team and everyone else that makes this place so special."

Rose also commented on the decision to hire Ewing to a multi-faceted position within the front office, saying:

"The New York Knicks and Patrick Ewing are synonymous with one another, and we are humbled and excited to bring Patrick back home. A monumental figure in New York basketball lore, Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge from his time both on and off the court that is unmatched. We are ecstatic that Patrick will once again be back in the blue and orange."

Selected No. 1 overall in the 1985 NBA draft, Ewing became everything Knicks fans could have dreamed of as a player.

In 1,039 career games with the Knicks, Ewing averaged 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per contest, while shooting 50.8 percent from the field.

Ewing is tops in team history in several statistical categories, including games played, points (23,665), rebounds (10,759), blocks (2,758) and steals (1,061).

While he was never quite able to get the Knicks over the hump to win a championship, Ewing took them to the Finals twice, which is a destination the franchise has not reached since 1999.

It can be argued that the Knicks are now better equipped to vie for a championship than they have been in decades, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and a 50-win season in 2023-24.

Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart return to lead a stacked roster, plus New York acquired wing Mikal Bridges and center Karl-Anthony Towns in offseason trades with the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively.

Towns is a 7-footer with four All-Star appearances to his credit, and there is perhaps no better sounding board for him than Ewing since he knows what it takes to thrive as a star center in the Big Apple.