Patrick Ewing is the biggest star to ever play basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. After leading them to their only National Championship as a player and then enjoying a Hall of Fame NBA career, Georgetown is bringing Ewing home. ESPN reports that Georgetown has hired Ewing to become their new head coach.
Georgetown Hoyas and John Thompson III
It is a little surprising that this hire happened. When the Georgetown Hoyas fired head coach John Thompson III, the word was that Patrick Ewing was not happy and was very emotional about the move. When Ewing played for the Hoyas, he played for Thompson's dad and remained very close with the entire Thompson family.
He as close to Thompson III and wasn't happy about the termination, even though he had found less success in the NCAA action than his father before him. However, Ewing, who was an associate head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, met with Georgetown on Monday and he accepted the position. One reason that Patrick Ewing might have had a change of heart was because John Thompson Jr. reportedly let Georgetown know that Ewing was his preferred choice for head coach.
Turning around the Georgetown Hoyas
Patrick Ewing won't have to do too much to turn around the Georgetown Hoyas. While John Thompson Iii was fired for a lack of success, Georgetown was still more successful than a number of other schools.
He made it to the Sweet 16 in just his second season with Georgetown and the Final Four in his third season. However, things have not gone as smoothly since then. After making it to the NCAA tournament in seven of his first nine seasons, he only made it past the second weekend of tournament play since that Final Four season.
The last four seasons, Georgetown has only made it to the NCAA Tournament once and that is where Thompson was judged. This past season, the Hoyas went 14-18 and lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament. L.J. Peak left for the NBA and top prospect Tremont Waters asked for a release from his letter of intent. Patrick Ewing will have to immediately look at recruiting but it shouldn't be hard with a school with the tradition of Georgetown.