Proud papa says Ewing Jr. is nothing like the old man
By Ailene Voisin
About an hour after Patrick Ewing Jr. is introduced at the Kings' practice facility Saturday afternoon, my cell phone rings. The voice on the other end is familiar, eager, emotional. The big fella wants to rave about his son.
"Patrick is nothing like me," Patrick Ewing Sr. says with a booming laugh. "He is very outgoing, very much his own person. Like every boy, he can be hard-headed sometimes. But I'm real proud of him. I think his mother, grandparents, myself, we all did an outstanding job raising him. I also think he's athletic enough to play in the league. Yes, I think so."
The Kings would seem to agree, though their enthusiasm is tempered by the NBA history books. Second-round draft choices tend to excite early, stick around for a while, then pursue jobs overseas. Ewing, who was selected 43rd Thursday, is a thoughtful and realistic young man. He arrives with an impressive basketball pedigree and a bachelor's degree in English from Georgetown but no illusions about the challenge ahead.
He is the son, not the father. He is a 6-foot-8 forward, not a 7-foot center. He is the rookie, not the legend. He has a chance.
Athletic with a spectacular 42-inch vertical leap, Ewing, who transferred from Indiana after two unproductive seasons, emerged as the Hoyas' valuable sixth man, though with modest averages of 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Nevertheless, Geoff Petrie didn't go shopping for stats or searching for Ewing Lite. He went for the athleticism and the defense and the intangibles, envisioning a player who could come off the bench and guard two or three positions.
"Quick feet, quick hands, loves to defend," said Petrie, offering an abbreviated scouting report. "Very aggressive. And a great kid."
The older Ewing, currently an assistant with the Orlando Magic, describes his son as a stubborn, active child who was drawn to the sport at a young age but who labored with expectations, comparisons and academics in later years.
"From the time Patrick was about 2," Ewing said, "I would take him to the gym at Georgetown every day during the offseason, have them lower the goals and get one of those little balls. I'd look over and see him shooting, trying to mimic what he sees me do. He loved it. But he got a late start at organized ball because when he lived with me, and I was with the Knicks, he was always in trouble. Academically, he struggled, so I wouldn't let him play organized ball until he was about 15, when he went to live with his mother in Atlanta, and got more focused."
With another affectionate laugh, he added: "But he figured it out. He is his own person, that's for sure."
During Saturday's media gathering, young Patrick displayed those flashes of independence. North Carolina, not his father's alma mater, was his first choice for college. He majored in English, not art history like his father. (His favorite poem is "Beowulf"). He dreamed of playing in the NBA, but not necessarily as a center.
"My father has gotten more proactive in my basketball probably the last three years, when I got serious about it," he said. "We talk every day. But he never pressured me. He just encourages me to do well."
With a poise and confidence perhaps reflecting his 24 years, Ewing characterized recent events as one contiguous, joyous blur. He graduates from college one month, is drafted the next. His mother is eager finally to visit California, his father delighted that he was selected by the Kings.
Appropriately, he learned his destination just before it was announced on ESPN, when his father called from Orlando.
"We were in the war room," the senior Ewing related, "and because of the (telecast) delay, I knew Patrick was going to Sacramento. I called and told him he got picked by the Kings. He thought I was pulling his leg. I told him I think he has something to offer that they need. Yes, I do. But I'd be proud of my son even if he didn't get drafted, or if he doesn't make it in the league. He graduated from college. He's a great kid, a wonderful person. You'll see (laugh). He makes friends easier than me."
