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Nice Kicks: You guys just added Lance Stephenson. What does he bring to the Hornets?
Patrick Ewing: Toughness, defensive intensity. He is able to do a lot of things on the basketball court– not just score. He is able to rebound, defend and pass. He has the total package.
Nice Kicks: Are you excited to be working with him?
Patrick Ewing: Very happy. He is a big key to our team.
Nice Kicks: Cody Zeller is entering his second season after a solid rookie year that showed promise. What steps are you expecting Cody to take this season?
Patrick Ewing: We expect a lot out of Cody. We expect him to keep on improving. He has a long way go, he just needs to keep working and striving to be the best that he can be.
Nice Kicks: You have coached with both of the Van Gundys and now you are working with Steve Clifford, who is in a head coach role now. I know you guys have worked together before but what have you learned from him and how do you guys work together?
Patrick Ewing: Steve started in New York with Jeff and we both worked together in Houston with Jeff. We both worked together with Stan in Orlando. We’ve been working together for a long time now. So a lot of his philophiles are the same as mine. We are both from that Van Gundy and Pat Riley school so we stress defense, rebounding, stopping people and knowing how to properly score as a team so we can win big in this league.
Nice Kicks: I actually lived in Charlotte for a little bit and enjoyed my time there. How do you like living there?
Patrick Ewing: I like it. It has grown a lot since back when we used to go play the Hornets there. I am enjoying it. We are improving and are winning which is making it fun.
Nice Kicks: What are you hoping for the future of Ewing Athletics? More collaborations like this one with Concepts?
Patrick Ewing: Definitely more collaborations like this. Concepts is great. Ewing Athletics is doing well and people are loving the brand. We are hoping to keep it steadily growing.
Nice Kicks: Adidas rereleased the vintage Mutombo’s somewhat recently. Have you ever gotten on him for doing that after Ewing Athletics was relaunched?
Patrick Ewing: I am older than him so he is probably just learning from his elders. Well, I am supposed to be older than him. No one truly knows how old he is. [Laughs] But, I am just incredibly blessed to re-launch my brand and want to thank the public for all of their love for their warm reception of my shoes.
Nice Kicks: Recently, you did the Ice Bucket Challenge and you challenged New York Knicks owner James Dolan to do it. I’m not too sure if he is going to do it but you must still have a great relationship with him to challenge him like that.
Patrick Ewing: I am still very cordial with Mr. Dolan. I challenged Coach Thompson, my Georgetown coach, I challenged the Georgetown President, Jack DeGioa, and I also challenged Al Jefferson. I hope they do it. I did it. It was rough, I am still shivering from the cold. But I mean it was for a great cause and I was happy to do it and donate. Let’s hope the folks I challenged, including Mr. Dolan, also do it and donate.
Ananth Pandian is a Free Born Man of the USA. His writing can be found at Hardwood Paroxysm and SLAM Magazine. Follow him on Twitter.
Lead image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images via Zimbio
