Patrick Ewing Says He Wouldn't Have Formed 'Superteam' to Win NBA Title
While NBA superstars like LeBron James have made mention of joining other stars in an attempt to win a championship, not everyone is in favor of the idea.
Former New York Knicks star and Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing told ESPN's Hannah Storm when she asked him if he would have helped form a "superteam" that it would not have been his choice (h/t SI.com).
"Probably not because we have so much of a great rivalry going against one another," Ewing said. "Larry [Bird] with his trash-talking. Magic [Johnson] with his trash-talking and also a great player. To win a championship, some people are willing to do that."
James already did it once by teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat. It appears Ewing wasn't that impressed.
Recently, James made news when he told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck that he would take a pay cut to team up with Wade again, in addition to Chris Paul and longtime friend Carmelo Anthony.
Ewing's comments to Storm highlight what seems to be the difference between older players and those currently in the league. It's also telling because he never won a championship yet doesn't seem to regret not teaming up with Johnson, Bird or even Michael Jordan.
Although Kobe Bryant is still in the NBA, the 20-year veteran would seem to have the same mentality as Ewing, as he's never left the Los Angeles Lakers during his career. When center Shaquille O'Neal departed, he stayed with the Lakers and won two additional titles to the three he won with O'Neal.
Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News joked last year's MVP and this year's favorite for the award, Stephen Curry, will be following in Bryant's footsteps:
After James won two titles with the Heat, he returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers to play alongside point guard Kyrie Irving. The team traded No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves for talented forward Kevin Love. The move worked as the Cavaliers went from 33 wins in 2014 to the NBA Finals in 2015.
Ewing—who told Sports on Earth's Howard Megdal that he wants to be a head coach—did all he could to win a championship for the city of New York, averaging 21.0 points and 9.8 rebounds during a 17-year career. His teams made the playoffs 14 times, including two trips to the Finals, but he never earned a coveted ring.
For Ewing, it appears trying to win a championship without forming a superteam is more honorable than trying to win one by teaming up with his basketball adversaries.
Deciding which is better lies within the eyes of the beholder, but neither one is the right way. James will have at least two rings to show off, but fans may not consider him the greatest because he couldn't win without two other All-NBA type of players.
Ewing may not wear a ring today, but fans looking back will surely admire his blue-collar attitude and toughness that nearly brought him a championship during a Hall of Fame career.
