https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2017/08/22/can-patrick-ewing-revolutionize-college-basketball-recruiting/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-sports%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.53c86384ec61

“I could probably make an argument – a fairly convincing argument, I think – that he will succeed at the highest level, and [also that] he can fail, and after his six-year contract is done it just won’t work,” Babb said in the latest episode of “Posting Up,” The Washington Post’s NBA podcast.

“This is a massive adjustment, to the point that I firmly believe … if he succeeds, the way he thinks he’ll succeed, I think he’s going to change the way college basketball recruiting is done.”

Why? Well, Babb says, because Ewing doesn’t do any of the things that have become commonplace on the college circuit as ways to convince teenagers to commit the next few years of their lives to one program – and, perhaps more importantly, to convince the people around those teenagers to give that program a chance in the first place.

“He doesn’t do social media,” Babb said. “All coaches do social media. He’s not a super energetic, burst-into-the-door, John Calipari-type of recruiter, and he doesn’t want to have to get in bed with the AAU circuit.

“If you read the story, I talked to a lot of guys and the one person I sort of blindly quote is not alone. There are a lot of people in the AAU scene, in particular in the D.C. area, who are very frustrated because they haven’t heard from Patrick Ewing yet.

“And I don’t mean they haven’t been wined and dined by him – I mean they haven’t heard from him. And I think that’s really jarring to a lot of these guys who, when others coaches in this region get jobs, they spend the first couple of weeks reaching out, seeing who is important seeing who can help them, seeing who wants to invest in whatever program they want to be a part of.”

That’s far from the only factor that could make Ewing’s transition to college difficult. As he himself said in Babb’s story, there is far more travel than in the NBA to go recruit players (though, Babb notes, he does usually get to fly in Georgetown’s private jet as opposed to having to fold his 7-foot body into a commercial airline seat). His staff is comprised only of assistants over the age of 40 – a surprise for a coach who, coming from the NBA, was expected to have little trouble with Xs and Os, but would seemingly benefit from some young grinders who specialize in recruiting to get players for him (as, for example, longtime rival Chris Mullin did when he went back to St. John’s two years ago and hired Matt Abdelmassih from Iowa State).

Uptown wrote:I'm a big time Hoya fan, going back to Hoya Paranoia and this is the exact reason why didn't want Ewing Hired!!. Just because you were a star player at the school, doesn't mean you are going to be a good coach! I thought Danny Hurley should have gotten the job....CBB is a different animal and if dont have the energy and the connects and the energy to make local connects, you are in trouble. These kids aint gonna swarm to GTown just because Ewing is the coach...

Ewing is a puzzle. Thought he was too good for the D-league coaching job the Knicks offered him, even though thats been a path to the NBA (like the old CBA) for coaches. Including former NBA players and coaches.

Now it looks like Ewing believes he is too good to put in the work for his Alma Mater. If this was a community college Ewing was coaching for, that would be another story, but its Georgetown. Patrick put in so much work as player, but he seems allergic to it as a coach. Weird.

jrodmc wrote:I've coached two teen transfer students from Nigeria who play AAU who would at least recognize Patrick Ewing. Sheehit, they both knew who Jack Ryan was. Do you?
Respect him? I really don't know. But I would think it reasonable that AAU teens I've seen would be possibly impressed that a HOF NBA player/college coach was sitting there watching them. He's from the '90's, it's not like we're talking about Oscar Robertson or Bob Petit here.

Ever heard of Youtube? I think most AAU teens have.

My point of respect was that players with money don't need to really work, so why he mess up??LOL, Ewing known for being tight with the buck and I doubt he has any problems.
Im just not sure Ewing has the cred of todays players. How many great low post players are there these days? Think of todays big guys? They are Tall, Skinny with perimeter skills.
Personally, I am impressed as hell he is still out there working. Not many 7 foot coaches out there lumbering around at his age. He looks older than he is with his knees and big frame.
Im rooting for the guy and don't like the "lazy" label.
Not sure if the demographics of Georgetown can really succeed in this environment. Seemingly St Johns suffers from a similar plight.
Does Ewing prescribe to the Thompson style of protecting his protege type players? Did Thompson keep Ewing on campus for his own ambitions or the betterment of Ewing???