The Knicks will have a 13th player inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this fall.
Patrick Ewing joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Pat Riley as the headliners of the Class of 2008, which will be officially enshrined in Springfield, Mass. during the weekend of Sept. 4-6. All three were first-ballot inductees. Others in the class include Adrian Dantley, Pistons owner Bill Davidson, women's basketball pioneer Cathy Rush and ESPN commentator Dick Vitale.
Ewing on Sunday talked about being enshrined in the same class with Riley, who helped elevate Ewing and the Knicks to elite-level status.
"Pat was one of the coaches that brought the great franchise of the Knicks back to the glory days," Ewing said. "He was one of my best coaches. It would be an honor to go in with him."
According to the press release, ticket packages to the 2008 Enshrinement Gala and all
Enshrinement Weekend Events are on-sale now and available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 781-6500. Additional Enshrinement Weekend information can also be found at www.hoophall.com.
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A report today said Ewing at his press conference yesterday endorsed Mark Jackson as the next Knicks coach.
Fixers, I was there and after reading that report it makes me wonder if that reporter was even present to hear what Ewing said.
"I think whatever Mark chooses to do, he'll do fine at," Ewing said. "Mark is a New Yorker. He has that New York swagger. It if is coaching or if it is the front office, I think he will do an outstanding job."
Fixers, by now I'm confident you are an intelligent people (your loyalty to this blog is proof positive). But I feel it is my job to protect you from such misrepresentation. A little homework and some level-headed perspective here: Ewing was saying something nice about Jackson while well-aware that one of his closest friends, Herb Williams, was standing in the room, listening.
Ewing and Jackson are not nearly as close as Ewing and Williams, who talk regularly. And Patrick knows how much Herb wants the job, no matter how slim his chances may be.
And Ewing went on to talk about his own head coaching aspirations. He repeated something he talked about a month ago in Orlando.
"I'm always pursuing it," he said of being a head coach. "I'm just waiting for my name to get called. I'm always looking toward when the time comes so that I'll be ready."
When asked if he would put the word out when a "certain" job opens, Ewing replied, "I think it would probably be best if they came to me."
So he's saying he wouldn't want to campaign for the job...and yet you're being led to believe he was campaigning for someone else?
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Speaking of endorsements, Quentin Richardson's ebullience about his fellow Chi-Town product Derrick Rose prompted me to write today's story. Q-Rich called Rose a "superstar" and said, "You know, some kids come along and some guys say he's a good player, he's this, he's that. Then you see some kids and, you know, he got the 'glow' to him. He's special. I definitely think he's one of them."
Q also insisted I YouTube the kid's stuff from high school and share it with Fixer Nation. So enjoy this little mix before you watch tonight's NCAA championship game and dare to dream about the ping pong balls falling your way.
I can assure you there are several Knicks who will be watching tonight from their hotel rooms in Birmingham, Mich. and thinking the same thing.
Comments (26)
Patrick Ewing, HOF.
Amen
First, of course, Patrick Ewing - ever our hero, ever our yardstick. I yelled as loud as I could last night and watched the out of town scoreboard (why can't they update that thing quicker?) as the Garden clacques worked the crowd.
How ridiculous and tone deaf is the Dolan administration? The Fat Bastard and the Kid in the Starbury uni's tossing trinkets to the crowd and leading cheers of "let's go knicks" so out of sync with what's happening on the floor, that they get drowned out by real cheers for knick's runs that occurred on the court!
Bread and Circus for the un-washed hordes, the Surge is working.
Derrick Rose, yes please.
If we can luck our way to him, by 2010, we can have a solid foundation to crown with a LeBron.
Now to get there:
Knicks play Detroit, Charlotte, Atlanta, Boston, and Indianna. Detroit, Boston, are definite losses, Charlotte, Indy and Atlanta, probably losses. Please continue tanking and lose out the string.
Best chance to leapfrog a team is Memphis (can we hope for kismet to get a U of Memphis player from Memphis Grizzly's winning out?).
Memphis plays out against Phoenix, Miami, Minnesota, Portland, and Denver. Figure Phoenix and Denver are losses. Miami is a Win, Minnesota 50-50, Portland 50-50. If Memphis is not tanking too, its possible they win 2 of the last 6, maybe even 3. Maybe we can dig deeper and faster than them and get those ping pong balls.
I SAID IT ONCE AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN...
derrick rose is the TRUTH...
now if the knicks have any shot at getting this player we got to get to losing...
this is why donnie walsh should have fired isiah right off the bat.
this fool thinks by winning some meaningless games at the end he can show he has some promise at being the knicks coach...
every game we win is less ping pong balls...sit randolph,crawford,and every other starter and lets do this right...
LOOK AT MIAMI...they are playing d-league players
Willis -
I love that you brought up the t-shirt toss. Drives me nuts and reminds me of Gladiator too. Dolan is like the emporer trying to appease the masses with games and giveaways, distracting them from the fall of the empire. (Man, that salary cap situation is a nightmare, but how cute are those City Dance Kids?)
It's a game-to-game reminder of how meaningless this team is.
I long for the days when the Garden was literally buzzing before a big game - you'd feel the floor and the stands just vibrate a little. When the crowd would start a "De-fense" chant, unsolicited, before the game even started. When you'd get more cheers for a hustle to a loose ball or a forced 24-second violation than for free crappy t-shirts...
Someday, hopefully...
Rose has impressed me - one thing I really like is that he plays for a winner. That can't hurt if Walsh is serious about changing the culture of losing in the Garden. Beyond the t-shirt and other gimmick crap, that is.
ok i am officially salivating over Rose. congrats on tha HOF shabba...oops, i mean pat.
...fire isiah !!
beasley over any1 in the draft...
beasley played on a weak team an still made it to the tourney...
rose would be lucky if he eva averages 20 points in the nba..
Q is a scrub just tryna boost his chitown homie...
it doesn't matter if your coming from a wininn team or losing itz what u want an what u want to be...
all the knicks need is a born superstar.
beasley is a small in the nba so thatz perfect for the knicks..
marbury should play hard next season since itz his last year on his contract...
congrats to ewing well deserved
stay tuned for more KnowLedge
Beasley is a monster talent, but will be gone at #1. If the Knicks have the first pick, I don't think they can afford to pass on him.
The Knicks don't need Rose to average 20 - just run the offense, (assuming a real coach is hired who actually has an offense.)
All I can say is it's about time! I thought Vitale was never going to get in.
Rose is exactly what the Knicks need, like I have been saying... He has great upside... And regardless if we keep Marbury or not the point guard position must be addressed... Steph will be in his last year... Beasley is very talented, if we had the 1st pick that is a tough choice... But the most glaring need is the point... Fred Jones is gonna be a free agent and Marbury has a year left (that will most likely be bought out)... So that leaves us with 3 ball handling guards if u wanna include Collins... Much easier to get a good 3 man than a point, and we arent suffering with scoring and rebounding...
Either way I wouldnt be mad if Beasley or Rose were on our team next year... They are by far the 2 best nba prospects in this draft if u ask me...
Not sure what game all of you were watching, unless tons of offensive prowess clouds your vision.
Rose got run around like Matador Marbury and Crawfor (no D) do now.
Please can we have another zero defense player?? Oh, I'd LOVE one...NOT.
I agree with Oakley. I was not overly impressed with Rose to make him a number 6 pick for us. We have enough one dimensional players already. What we need is an efficient ,team oriented player who makes others better and plays D. Though there is no denying Rose's skills , I do not see him as a point guard.
If Chalmers slips to the second round ( as projected ), I would take him. He plays nice D, is an efficient, smart offensive player ( 51 per cent shooter ), runs the offense well and seems quite tough. His problem is that he does not create his own shot well and weighs only 170 pounds-- a problem if he gets posted down low. But as a second round pick, he seems a good bet.
As for a number one-- I think it depends on whom we get rid of in the off season. Then fill the need. I did not see a true top six worthy point guard available.
Dorsey! He's got Knick written all over him.
That's the guy we need to go find a second round pick for. Looks like Dale Davis with hops. He's a guy who can hold it down for us in the paint for a long time to come. If the idea is to keep Curry and jettison Randolph, Dorsey as the first big man off the bench is nice.
At times Rose looked like a freshman last night, at times he got it together. That has to have been one of the best played college game I've ever seen. The D was tremendous on both sides, both sides were big, talented and deep. I think Rose is going to be a great pro - I hope we can get him.
...And before anyone tells me "he's young, he'll improve on D", just look at Crawford.
This situation just begs for a defensive minded coach to take over the bench. Rose is a great player, but they all need to be reeled in.
Just look what has happened with Kobe...granted, anyone but Phil Jax probably would have been laughed at.
...And before anyone tells me "he's young, he'll improve on D", just look at Crawford.
This situation just begs for a defensive minded coach to take over the bench. Rose is a great player, but they all need to be reeled in.
Just look what has happened with Kobe...granted, anyone but Phil Jax probably would have been laughed at.
AND, someone needs to reel in N8...while they're at it.
Rose looked like he could use another year in college last night. Not that he wouldn't get drafted #2 but PG is a tough spot to jump in after 1 year of college.
I'd still take Beasley because of his offensive skills and rebounding. If he is a legit 6-10 it's a no brainer.
Big ups to PAT! Welcome Mr Walsh and his looking at foreign players.
I'm not sold on Q's scouting.
* I was never a big fan of Ewing but to me, ring or no ring, he does belong in the HoF. Given everything that he has accomplished as a Knick, his stats, his contributions, he is a Hall of Famer. Too bad the big fellow did not get a ring for NY fans and for himself.
* There is no question about Hakeem getting into the HoF. I would love to be in Springfield Mass to attend one of the festivities honoring The Dream. I must confess that I was rooting for Hakeem and not Ewing in the Bronco Finals.
* I wonder if Dantley would ask his buddy Zeke to induct him into the HoF. That'll be a treat.
* Derrick Rose ???????????
Old School - I'm with you on the need to improve the Knicks' d - I've been complaining about it here all season. Rose didn't look so hot defensively last night, but I thought he looked pretty solid in the earlier rounds.
I know everyone likes Beasley - so does the NBA world, and there is no chance he is around after #1, which means that it is unlikely that the Knicks get a shot at him. Here is a question for those of you who don't see Rose as a top 6 pick - if the Knicks don't get the #1, who should they draft with their first rounder? Bayless? Mayo? I just don't see Lopez as high lotto material.
What about this guy Bayless?
http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/jerrydbayless.html
I'm real tired of point guards who like to score.
I haven't seen him, can't comment, but he's mocked up in the top 5 regularly. If things go to form, there's no chance of Beasley or Rose at our pick. Lopez is put up there too, but like Pete says, is he top 5 material? Does he translate to the NBA? I think the bigger issue is, this is a weak draft for franchise changing players. I think you can think of Beas and Rose that way, but after them, I think it gets real thin - we should expect a solid player perhaps, not a superstar.
I'm throwing my vote in with those who want a PG who can play D. If we get one of the top two picks we will pick Beasly or Rose, just too much talent there. Though Rose didn't look like a winner last night, especially when you add in the lack of nutrition and shielding by his family, he's very young. I'm thinking he could be a basketball version of Darryl Strawberry, hit the monster homers when it doesn't matter but don't get it done when it does (BTW, I blame the Mets for rushing him which is why I draw the comparison with D Rose). I can't get an early game out of my head when Rose went up against Mayo and Mayo owned him on D. If we get a 3-6 pick I'm thinking Mayo, especially over Lopez this year's Christian Laetner/Danny Ferry...
Derrick Rose:
Bricks clutch free throws.
Cannot win the big game.
Another Stephon Marbury.
Pure Me-First Loser.
Circus dunks, only drug addicts care about 'em. They mean nothing.
of course there will be little to think about should rose or beasley b available, but mayo is a very nice consolation prize. lopez is a stiff and bayless is not a point. gordon is a huge gamble. I too like dorsey, but 4 those of u dreaming about the 2nd round, our pick belongs to portland (thank you again isiah).
Sec11,
Agreed on Mayo.
I also agree with OldSchool Oak that we need to revive the defense. There isn't one person on the squad currently that I look at and go "the other team wants to rotate away from him."
In the old days, you couldn't touch the paint before Oakley, Mason, and Ewing killed you.
We need some hard nosed, skilled defensive players again.
I like David Lee - a LOT. He can get tougher, he has a good touch, and a nose for the boards. He should be our starting PF playing 40/night, locked in, 82 games. Salaries of other players be damned.
Crawford is a good offensive player, poor defensive player. So whoever plays the 1 spot for us needs to be a distributor and defender first and foremost. Not sure if Rose or Mayo does that coming out of college.
Hahn talks about Lowry from Memphis. Eh, haven't seen him play, only seen the box scores. If he can't defend, we can't use him.
I'm all for skills. But if you are going to have one guy being more offensive minded in the backcourt, his partner has to be a big time defender. Same in the front court.
If we're going to be stuck with soft Curry, then whoever is playing the 3 and 4 has to be able to defend.
Guys - You can't make a judgement on Rose based off of one game.
He's shown all season that he's got great court vision and the skill set to become a very good NBA PG, which the Knicks need desperately.
If (big if) they get the number 1 pick, they gotta go with Rose. No question. I guess Beasly is talented, but so are a lot of the current Knicks. I don't like him for them at all. A 6' 10" guy who could score? We got enough of those already.
More likely scenario is that the Heat will take Rose no. 1, since they need a PG badly too. The Knicks are gonna wind up with the 16th pick or something. I got a bad feeling.
no way tha knicks get the 16th pick...stern already said MSG needs to be back as a main attraction for basketball in general after that lebron 50-pt game. i would assume that means he could throw us 'a bone' come the lottery.
anonymous ur lame dude...
@anonymous...how the hell could you compare derrick rose to marbury?
marbury never made it a championship game...EVER!
rose took memphis to the championship his first season.
i know he did not have his A-game last night but those guys should have still won the game(1 out of 5 free throws down the stretch sealed their fate)
the guy only had 5 turnovers in four games in the ncaa tournament...
cut the guy some slack
i don't think the knicks will have the 1 or 2 pick anyway...
so OJ Mayo might be the best we could get at our draft position...
eric gordon is just a more athletic jamal crawford....if we draft him we might as well trade crawford.and save some money.
WHEN IS WALSH GOING TO FIRE ISIAH?