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Nice Kicks: How have you seen Cambridge change since you were here growing up?
Patrick Ewing: Oh man, Cambridge has changed a lot. Harvard and MIT are going to meet in the middle as they keep expanding. The economy here keeps growing and it’s just a great city.
Nice Kicks: I know a lot of Cambridge kids who mainly just stay in Cambridge and never really go into Boston, despite it being just across the river, because they can do so much here in Cambridge. Did you have a similar experience growing up?
Patrick Ewing: [Laughs] Nah, we went into Boston. We would go to the movies, go to parties, play ball. We ventured out.
Patrick Ewing coaches the Charlotte Hornets in a Ewing Guard “Hornets” PENice Kicks: Lets switch gears and talk about the team you coach, the Hornets. The team just changed their name going from the Bobcats and in a sense back to the Hornets.
Patrick Ewing: It was a great move. We have a lot of support in Charlotte and a lot of Hornets fans are waiting for the season to start. We are waiting and anticipating as well. I’m excited to see what we can do. We’ve added some pieces to the team and with Al (Jefferson) and Kemba (Walker), hopefully we can gel together quickly and go far.
Nice Kicks: You’ve been known to work with big men but with a player like Al, who is a veteran that has moves pretty much down already, all those pump fakes and his footwork, how do you help him improve on his already established skill set?
Patrick Ewing: Al has been outstanding to work with. He is an outstanding guy and an outstanding pupil. Like you said, he has his game but if I see little things that I think he needs to do, I tell him about it. He has been working on his game all summer long so he is ready and in shape for next season. His foot is feeling better and he is ready to lead us.
