The sad part about it is... how come Pat was never offered this early on in his coaching endeavors? Especially when we had Curry and Frye?

CrushAlot wrote:

3G4G wrote:This is quite possibly the best move this organization has made in the past 10-15yrs.

The sad part about it is how come Pat was never offered this early on in his coaching endeavors? Especially when we had Curry and Frye?

I agree about Ewing. The Knicks haven't done right by him. I Do love the Hakeem hire.

Maybe because Ewing has been hunting for a head coaching position since he retired

I was a bit disappointed when Tyson wasn't able to get with Hakeem but now that's all taken care of. This may not work, but you can't fault the effort. That's all you can ask is that your team does everything it can to increase it's chances of winning. From what i've seen this franchise is 100% on the same page and on the right track in terms of making smart decisions. At the very least you see some kind of direction and vision here. Woody used his great relationship with Hakeem to help convince him to leave his home and come to NY. That's a bold move and shows Woody wants his players to get better and learn from a WINNER! Just listening to Hakeem tells you he knows what he's talking about.

misterearl wrote:The Chicago Way

"You take our world famous point guard, we take your hall of fame center."

Could this move be a precursor for Woodson making Olajuwon a full time Assistant?

I was wondering the same thing. That would be awesome.

CrushAlot wrote:

3G4G wrote:This is quite possibly the best move this organization has made in the past 10-15yrs.

The sad part about it is how come Pat was never offered this early on in his coaching endeavors? Especially when we had Curry and Frye?

I agree about Ewing. The Knicks haven't done right by him. I Do love the Hakeem hire.

Nalod wrote:Anyone read up on Hakeem, where he lives, what he does?

Olajuwon played for 20 consecutive seasons in the Houston area, first collegiately for the Cougars and then the Rockets.[4] He still maintains a home in the area,[7] and is considered a local icon and one of Houston's most beloved athletes.[61] Olajuwon has had great success in the Houston real estate market, with his estimated profits exceeding $100 million. He buys in cash-only purchases, as it is against Islamic law to pay interest.[62] Olajuwon spends his time going back and forth between Jordan, where he moved with his family to pursue Islamic studies,[7] and his ranch in the vicinity of Houston, Texas.

In the 2006 NBA offseason, Olajuwon opened his first Big Man Camp, where he teaches young frontcourt players the finer points of playing in the post. While Olajuwon never expressed an interest in coaching a team, he wishes to give back to the game by helping younger players. When asked whether the league was becoming more guard-oriented and big men were being de-emphasized, Olajuwon responded, "For a big man who is just big, maybe. But not if you play with speed, with agility. It will always be a big man's game if the big man plays the right way. On defense, the big man can rebound and block shots. On offense, he draws double-teams and creates opportunities. He can add so much, make it easier for the entire team." He runs the camp for free.[63] Olajuwon has worked with several NBA players, including power forward Emeka Okafor,[64] and center Yao Ming.[65][66] In September 2009, he also worked with Kobe Bryant on the post moves and the Dream Shake.[67] More recently he has been working with Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers, helping him diversify his post moves and encouraging more mental focus.[68] He has also worked with LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Denver Nuggets big men JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried.

Olajuwon was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2008.

Guess someone has to update Wikipedia that Hakeem's services don't come cheap.

Olajuwon was always the more creative post player and the better passer. Ewing never had a penchant for looking up and making the high-post pass.

Ewing effectively has 2 strikes against him:
* he never really seemed to see the whole floor as a player
* superstars rarely make good coaches, presumably because they have some innate talent or understanding of the game that the normal player cannot easily grasp. (ie Just because Magic Johnson "tutors" you, doesn't mean you'll ever get his court vision, speed, athleticism, long arms, reaction time)

What they can teach you is their approach. In Olajuwon's case, he teaches footwork, he teaches you how to dance his step to get close to the basket. From that point on, it's your job to make the layup or short jumper. He'll also give you a few counter moves.

Not sure what Ewing did. Statistically, Ewing was roughly as effective as Hakeem, but the way he went about his business was entirely different, but less artistry, much more blue collar. (one can say similar things about Abdul Jabbar - he didn't have a huge repertoire of moves, but that sky hook was damned effective... and hey, everyone would be shooting it that way if it were something easy to master - but that has to do with his innate feel for the ball and the basket)

There's part of footwork that can be learned, but there's something (a combination of balance and agility, I suppose) that let Hakeem own it like few players can. (make no mistake, there's good reason why athletes like Kobe/LBJ could get something out of it - because they too are that gifted)