GLENDALE, Ariz. — Patrick Ewing is eminently qualified — probably overqualified — for one part of his new job. As he begins a captivating tenure as Georgetown's basketball coach, no reservations exist regarding the basketball portion of Ewing's duties. For 17 years, he played at the highest level the sport has known. He coached as an assistant another 15, the rare superstar willing to undergo a true apprenticeship. In terms of offensive and defensive sophistication, Ewing immediately provides Georgetown an edge over most opponents.
But Ewing's success as a college basketball coach, experts roundly agreed, will hinge not on basketball. It will depend on everything but basketball, on how Ewing adapts to off-court terrain unique to the college game. He has never been a head coach, never coached in college. As Ewing switches from Charlotte Hornets associate head coach to Georgetown's hope for redemption, his most crucial task will be assembling an experienced, capable coaching staff to help him navigate a new world.
“The basketball side, that will be a simple transition,” former Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. “The business of college basketball, that will be a difficult transition.”
Success in college basketball starts with everything that happens away from the court. It starts with knowing how to negotiate a murky recruiting landscape of AAU coaches, runners and agents without running afoul of the rules or your own moral code.
“The Xs-and-Os part, the basketball side of it, he’ll be tremendous,” said Sean May, an assistant coach at North Carolina and formerly a forward with the Hornets. “He’s been great. I’ve got friends that have played for the Hornets, played for him, and they rave about how good he is.
“The biggest thing, his staff has to be great. Just the grind, it’s different. The recruiting part of it, it will be a learning curve for him. But he’s Pat Ewing. Every kid will know who he is. He’ll be fine. He’ll be great.”
May predicted Ewing will hire two important types for his staff: a former head coach as his top assistant to take the lead on recruiting and an energetic, young assistant to connect with teenagers. The success of his tenure will be directly tied to the hires he makes in the coming days and weeks.
“The transition from the NBA to college is major, in terms of dealing with the alumni, the recruiting, all the rules and regulations,” ESPN commentator Dick Vitale said. “It would be wise for him — it’s only a suggestion — to hire someone on his staff who was a former head coach on the collegiate level, to give him the insights on what to expect. I think he’s ready for the challenge, but I think staff is vital.”
Beyond filling out his bench, Ewing will have to make personal adjustments. Now when Ewing loses a game on a Monday in January, there is no charter flight and Tuesday morning shoot-around. There is a jet to an AAU game or a connecting flight to a tiny gym somewhere.
He will need to maintain enthusiasm through new frustrations. He will win the news conference, surely. Will Ewing’s zeal dim after he recruits a McDonald’s all-American for 2½ years, only to see him pick Kentucky instead? Or when parents complain about their sons’ playing time? At the start, he’ll need strong assistants to put those hurdles in perspective. Coaching in the NBA is about basketball. Coaching in college is about everything else.
“You can talk about understanding the demands of the job, but living it is different,” Greenberg said. “The day he plays a game and his assistant wants him to go recruiting, and he’s got to listen to his assistants. Or after a game, there’s an issue with one of the players and a parent needs time, he’s going to have to make that time. It might be a meeting with compliance, or a meeting with academic support or do something for the alumni association. As a head coach, there’s never down time.”
Ewing will bring one inherent recruiting advantage. He might not connect with every kid on the basis of being Patrick Ewing — the last time he was an all-star, current high schoolers had yet to be born. As a few insiders in greater Phoenix pointed out, he will capture attention with this pitch: I coached in the NBA for 15 years, and I know how to prepare you to play in the league.
It will level the playing field when Georgetown recruits against powerful schools from football conferences. As John Calipari likes to say, the only league kids care about is the NBA.
“Some people can talk about the past,” Greenberg said. “He lived the past. He created the past. But that alone won’t get him through the door with recruits. He’s going to have to work at it, like everyone else. He can talk about being one of the 50 best players that’s ever lived. John Calipari, right now, he’s got billions of dollars worth of former players in the league. He’s a proven commodity. And there’s a difference.”
Although Ewing will confront new challenges, insiders do not doubt his ability to meet them. His unique ties to the school could grow complicating if the Hoyas produce another couple of losing seasons. For now, they represent appeal for a program and a coach about to learn new ropes.
“He’ll be fine,” May said. “I think he’s a great hire. He is Georgetown basketball, so I think he’ll be great.”
