Georgetown Basketball

ESPN's Pardon the Interruption devoted two recent segments to the Ewing hire. Check them out:

Jack DeGioia: Good morning everyone, thank you all for being here. It's a pleasure to welcome you to Georgetown this morning. We have the privilege of introducing to all of you our head men's basketball coach, Patrick Ewing. This is special moment for our University and for our men's basketball program, 33 years after winning the NCAA national championship, number 33 is coming home.

Coach Ewing embodies the tradition of excellence that defines our program, a tradition that he helped to define three decades ago, a tradition that with his experience, preparation and character, he is uniquely capable of adding new dimensions to, as our head men's basketball coach. He's a committed teacher and mentor, a talented coach and a passionate leader with a deep understanding of the game of basketball and what it takes to excel. His extraordinary career as a player and as a coach has been defined by his talent, his determination, and his work ethic: 17 years excelling as one of professional basketball's greatest players ever, and 15 years of coaching preparation, working, studying, and coaching alongside some of basketball's greatest have led to this day. He offers our students unparalleled depth of knowledge about basketball as it is played today, a track record of winning at the highest levels of competition, and a commitment to bringing out the very best in each of our young people, and he has a deep connection to this place, to Georgetown, to our values, to our tradition, to our community.

Coach we're excited and grateful for the impact that we are confident you will continue to have on Georgetown basketball. Coach Ewing it is my pleasure to welcome you back to the Hilltop. (applause)

Before I invite Lee Reed our director of intercollegiate athletics to the podium, I wish to express my deep appreciation to our board members: vice chair Paul Tagliabue and Kevin Warren, and to Lee for their outstanding service and leading the search process that led to Patrick's selection. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd now like to invite Lee Reed to offer remarks and then to introduce our coach.

Lee Reed: Thank you Jack. Welcome everybody. What a great day for Georgetown basketball, Georgetown University. Just 12 short days ago we set out to find the 18th head coach of men's basketball in Georgetown University's history. As we embarked on this important task, we embraced the expectations that have consistently defined our program for generations. One, that our program will represent this great institution with integrity; two, our student-athletes will achieve academically and prepare for life beyond the Hilltop; and three, that our program will be competitive on a national level.

It is within that context that we set out to find our next leader of our basketball program. The criteria for the job were based upon the following parameters: we wanted someone who embraced the values of Georgetown University, that believed as deeply as we believe in the balance between student and athlete. We wanted someone who embraced the rich tradition of Georgetown basketball, someone who was comfortable with that tradition. We wanted someone who would set a high standard as a leader of our young men; after all, that is why we are here. We wanted someone who understood and was passionate about doing things the right way, the only way, the Georgetown way, as it relates to building a nationally competitive program. We wanted someone who through their personal experience understood what it took to be successful at the highest levels. We wanted someone with a track record of developing young men, mind, bodies and spirit.

After a comprehensive national search, ably led by Vice Chairman Paul Tagliabue and assisted by fellow board member Kevin Warren, who I'm grateful for as well, it became obvious to us who the best person for this challenge was, You know, I've been in the Georgetown community for seven years but obviously have known from afar Patrick Ewing and all that he's meant to Georgetown University and to the game of basketball. We could spend a lot of time talking about his accomplishments as a player: three-time consensus first-team All-American, national champion in 1984, the first lottery pick in NBA history, 11 time NBA all star, member of the original Dream Team, Top 50 player in NBA history, and a 2008 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee. He covered it all.

But during this process I quickly learned a great deal more about Patrick and his accomplishments as a coach. I came to know him as a professional who has worked as hard to become a great coach as he worked to become a great player, a man who took the demanding and humbling path that would best prepare him for an opportunity such as this. Patrick has honed his craft for 15 years coaching elite level athletes, many of the same ages of the members in our current program, collegiate age players. What I also found out during this process is that Patrick was not only prepared to coach and lead a program but that he had his own distinct vision for where Georgetown basketball should go.

This program is our program and it's his program. Pat was not anointed here nor given a pass through a process, he earned this opportunity the old-fashioned way, the only way he knows how. He earned it through hard work and preparation and so we're really happy and excited to welcome Patrick back home. Before I turn it over and introduce him to you we'd like to have a quick photo opportunity here. If you'll recall when Patrick came to Georgetown when he signed to come to Georgetown in 1981 this was the photo (applause)

So I'm honored to introduce Patrick Ewing. Coach, welcome home.(applause)

Patrick Ewing: First of all it's great to be back. I can remember the speech that I gave when I, myself and my mother we were at Satch Sanders restaurant in Boston and I remember saying "After considering all the facts and my decision is to attend Georgetown University," half the room walked out. They were expecting me to say Boston College, but I made the right choice. I just want to say that I'm very honored and pleased to be named head coach at Georgetown basketball. We've had a rich tradition led by the man in the back, coach Thompson. His vision, his hard work, his dedication, has helped to lift the program to where it's gotten and it's my job to add on to that legacy. You know, JT3, I thought did an outstanding job when he was here, had a few down years, and they decided to make a change. Can't take anything away from the success and the things that he has accomplished but it's a new era now and it is my job, along with these two gentlemen that sitting here beside me, to help and rebuild the program and try to get it to prominence that it was at before.

I would like to thank me these two gentlemen for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to coach this fine institution, and I'm here and dedicated to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I just want to say thank you and I'm honored. (applause)

Mex Carey: At this time we will open it up for Q&A with coach Coach Ewing, director of athletics Lee Reed, and university president DeGioia. We have a wireless mic, we would ask you to please wait until that wireless mic has been handed to you, raise your hand, and identify yourself from name and outlet, please.

Gene Wang, Washington Post: Just what drew you to the college game after having spent a number of years in the NBA?

Patrick Ewing: What drew me to the college game will I think it was if it was any other university, I wouldn't be doing this, but my alma mater is Georgetown, you know, I'm a Hoya. I just thought it was a great opportunity to come back and to try to help to rebuild the program. Any other university, the answer would be no, I'm going to stay in the NBA, but I just thought it was something that I needed to do coach.

Mark Plotkin of the Georgetowner and The Hill: I believe on December 16 1981 at the old Cap Centre, Georgetown played GW, I think you played in that game. It's been 36 years. Yesterday council member Evans passed a resolution, or introduced a resolution for a Ward Two classic that Georgetown play GW and resume that rivalry. Would you be in favor of doing that?

Patrick Ewing: That is something I'm not at liberty to discuss right now. This is just my first day. I'm only really starting, I might have started the job, but uh, you know, that's something that Lee and I would sit down and discuss when the time is appropriate.

Ben Standig, SB Nation: Lee Reed mentioned you brought a stated vision to him, how you want to do it with this program. Obviously you're so connected with Big Coach, what is the distinct vision for you meaning coming to this program?

Patrick Ewing: Well it is my vision that you know to try to play a style of ball that's going to be conducive to, similar to that style that we play in the NBA. I want it to be up tempo, push the ball, shoot threes when if you have them, but it's similar to the way that we're playing in Charlotte. There's more and more up-tempo pace and are similar to what we did when I was here: when we have opportunities to trap, but also we're going to have to go out and get the guys that who are have the ability to do all these things.

Ron Bailey, Rivals.com: How are you prepared to deal with the recruiting world which has changed drastically since you were recruited? Patrick Ewing: I don't think has changed that much. When I came out I was the most highly recruited player, but you know, what I'm going to do is I'm going to put around myself a great staff who has the ability to go out and recruit and teach me all the things I need to know until I get up to speed in terms of recruiting, but I don't see anything different on is all about going out and selling your program and I think that I'm a great salesman.

Howard Fendrich, Associated Press: What do you consider the biggest challenge facing you and what will be the toughest part of, as you said, rebuilding this program?

Patrick Ewing: I don't think that we, in terms of challenge, I said the challenge to be what this gentleman just asked me in terms of learning how to go out and recruit, but I'm going to surround myself with good, great, good enough people to be able to not only teach me but also, they have reached out in the community and try to get these guys in our DC area. DC, Baltimore, Virginia area is the hotbed of great talent and I remember when we were at, when we had things rolling here there's no one, none of the great players in this area was able to get out of DC when Coach was at the helm, and that's my job to try to get us back to that level that these great players try to stay home.

Megan O'Brien with the Big East Digital Network: Coach, the league has changed quite a bit since you've changed since you played here, but what is your impression of the newly configured Big East in how much are you looking forward to coaching against Chris Mullin?

Patrick Ewing: Well I'm looking forward to coaching him. You know, I was joking with someone on my way into the into the to the press conference. I said we need to get back to the way it was, you know, no one liked us, Hoya Paranoia, smacking people on, you know, just get back to the old Big East where there was a rough and tumbling Big East, but no, I'm looking forward to you know to playing Chris. He's a person that I reached out to when I was talking about thinking about, thinking about coming to Georgetown. He gave me some great advice and you know the Big East is the Big East. You know Georgetown is when you talk about the Big East, people think about Georgetown. Even though we're not at a full strength right now but we're still Georgetown.

Tyler Pearre, Georgetown Voice: You've obviously been a student and player, an alum, and now head coach. How to your perspective changed?

Patrick Ewing: My perspective of being a Hoya has never changed. Like I said before this is a great institution I think these guys are great students. My mother, when I was coming out of high school and one of the things he told me that she wanted me to get an education and I got a great education here at Georgetown. Anyone who comes here, that's our goal is to make sure that they graduate. My kids are here, my son graduated, my daughter, she's a senior here, you know, so the tradition is still here. My family's here. This was one of some of the best years of my life. I came to college a boy and I left a man. Under Coach Thompson, he gave me the opportunity to grow not only as an athlete but also as a person and I met some great guys here. Some of my teammates from back then, they're still here that are still my friends today you know so I think it's it's a close network, our family and you know, I'll be counting on them to a continent them for their support of also all the Georgetown alumni for their support to help to rebuild this program coach.

Heather McDonough, NBC4: For once the school parted ways with coach Thompson how quickly did things move for you, and second part to that is this kind of the easiest decision and also possibly the hardest decision you had to make knowing about your NBA aspirations but knowing you know Georgetown is home for you well?

Patrick Ewing: I'm not going to say it was an easy or a hard decision, I just thought it was a great, fit. They let JT 3 go, you know it's funny because I thought that I got felt like I got fired. My son was on the staff so naturally, you know, I felt for him. I've been knowing him since we both we're young, growing up. I remember us growing up playing in McDonough Gym when we were both young and the fact that he got let go, it hurt, but you know, then I thought about it a couple of days I reached out to Jack and let him know that you know, I thought that it was a great opportunity for me to come back. This is something that I want and then I got involved in the process ,went through all the interviewing process, spent some long, long, times on the phone with the committee and I told Jack today when I came in this is the first time I saw him from when we had our last meeting. He has a great game face because after I left that meeting, I called Coach Thompson, "Coach, I don't know, I don't think I got it," and then Lee called me the next day and I'm like "don't mess with me," I said (laughter). I'm like "don't mess with me," but yes, I wanted to be an NBA coach. I worked extremely hard to get to get to that point in my career but I thought that this was a great opportunity and I took full advantage of it.

Mex Carey: Last question.

Unidentified: Have you had a chance to talk to the team and if what you say to them? If you haven't what you plan to say to them?

Patrick Ewing: Yes I spoke to the team yesterday, just told them that last year is over. I'm not sure who's going to be standing, There's some people talking about leaving so once I'm going to meet with them tomorrow and we were all going to sit down individually and discuss what their vision are and what my vision are, if they're going to buy into my vision and try to, you know, take it from there. I thought that you know they under performed last year, they have they have enough talent that they should have done better and hopefully that they can, once the summer, the summer is a big summer for them in terms of getting in the weight room, making sure they take care of their responsibilities in terms of academics, and come back ready for the start of start of the school year.