At some point in his career, was Patrick Ewing the best of anything in the world?

[72-10]

Patrick Ewing is the best jumpshooting center to play the game.

But was Ewing ever the best center in the world at some point in his career? Was he the best defensive player in the world? What about best interior defender?

[tpols]

He led the world in DRTG in 1993 and 1994 over Hakeem and David Robinson... so yes.

[dankok8]

No he wasn't. There was anywhere between a large gap between Hakeem and Ewing on both offense and defense. Robinson and Shaq after his rookie year were also comfortably better than Ewing.

[tpols]

No he wasn't. There was anywhere between a large gap between Hakeem and Ewing on both offense and defense. Robinson and Shaq after his rookie year were also comfortably better than Ewing.

There was definitely not a large gap defensively between Ewing and Hakeem. That's nonsense.

[jayfan]

In college, yes. Not in the pros.


.

[Mr. Woke]

Nope lol.

[Xiao Yao You]

There was definitely not a large gap defensively between Ewing and Hakeem. That's nonsense.

I always saw Robinson and Hakeem at a different level and Shaq once he joined the league.

[Real Men Wear Green]

At his best some knick fans felt he was the best center. Also the #1 pick. He had a great career, some times fans are too hard on guys.

[tpols]

I always saw Robinson and Hakeem at a different level and Shaq once he joined the league.

Rudy Gobert has never led the league in DRTG, and best score was 98. Pat Ewing put up 92 in a year he led his team to the Finals.

[mentallooser]

Public speaking

[Xiao Yao You]

Rudy Gobert has never led the league in DRTG, and best score was 98. Pat Ewing put up 92 in a year he led his team to the Finals.

Not sure how Rudy came into a discussion about Ewing but Pat would have trouble guarding in space today. If Rudy was playing when Pat did he wouldn't have had to leave the paint either which would have only helped him. The best way to play the Jazz is to get Rudy away from the basket so you can score at the rim which most don't even try when he's around the basket. Rudy hasn't had as good of a rating but has been in the top 8 7 straight years. Pat only did it 9 times total in many more years. Pat has no DPOTY nor any first team all defensive team which Rudy has 4 straight years. Rudy has had a better blk % in an era when there are less because so much is away from the basket instead of post ups in the paint. He's ranked higher in defensive box plus minus. Rudy holds his own with anyone

[RogueBorg]

Patrick Ewing was considered the best center in the NBA in 1990.

[Patrick Chewing]

He was the best.

[RRR3]

Patrick Ewing is the best jumpshooting center to play the game.

But was Ewing ever the best center in the world at some point in his career? Was he the best defensive player in the world? What about best interior defender?
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Round Mound]

He had very good defensive help but not great offenisve help in hia teams. When he had Mark Jackson as PG they blended in perfectly and was better offenisvely especially that 1989-90 season. Before his injuries he was right there with Hakeem and Robinson as best centers in the game. Then after his knees began to fail he was the 4th best center after David, Shaq and Hakeem.

[East River Livn']

Spending money

[Patrick Chewing]

:roll: :roll: :roll:

You weren't even alive during Ewing's career. So STFU.

[dankok8]

There was definitely not a large gap defensively between Ewing and Hakeem. That's nonsense.

There was a pretty sizable gap. Ewing wasn't nearly as quick laterally as Hakeem. Hakeem could make seemingly impossible plays coming out of nowhere to block or disrupt shots. Ewing was your standard lumbering big man going up for the block much of the time. Still a really good defensive player of course but not Hakeem level.

[RRR3]

You weren't even alive during Ewing's career. So STFU.
So? He couldn’t shoot 3s. There’s no way he was a better shooter than Karl-Anthony Towns. He was also extremely inefficient in the playoffs (51.7 TS%. Yuck!) for a guy purported to be the best shooter ever at his position. Sorry, blubber boy, your hero just wasn’t the best shooting center.

[Bigrichmac]

Getting dunked on?

[3ball]

Patrick Ewing is the best jumpshooting center to play the game.

But was Ewing ever the best center in the world at some point in his career? Was he the best defensive player in the world? What about best interior defender?


He peaked at 30 ppg and 4.0 blocks

That was in 90' though because he wasted 4 years in college.. he was actually well-past his prime when he spanked pippen in 94'

[72-10]

It's kind of strange because he was almost all of these things at the same time, but I don't think he was any one of them at any time during his professional career. And he's one of the best offense-defense players. Ewing must feel so robbed in terms of legacy.

[Axe]

The best playoff choker at some point?

[Xiao Yao You]

He peaked at 30 ppg and 4.0 blocks

That was in 90' though because he wasted 4 years in college.. he was actually well-past his prime when he spanked pippen in 94'

Most players played 3 or 4 years of college at the time. Wasn't considered a waste.

[72-10]

So? He couldn’t shoot 3s. There’s no way he was a better shooter than Karl-Anthony Towns. He was also extremely inefficient in the playoffs (51.7 TS%. Yuck!) for a guy purported to be the best shooter ever at his position. Sorry, blubber boy, your hero just wasn’t the best shooting center.

pretty good for someone who played like a b*tch in the 2016 tournament for Kentucky

but what about mid-range, Ewing was the king of that, he lit it up from mid-range in his prime...

[Reggie43]

He was All Nba First team once which means voters considered him the best Center in the Nba. Peak healthy Ewings numbers of 28 pts 11 rebs 4 blks on 55%fg pretty much speaks for itself.

[DoctorP]

He may have had the best flat top at some point

[tpols]

If Rudy was playing when Pat did he wouldn't have had to leave the paint either which would have only helped him.

:roll:

If Rudy was stuck in the paint back then he would've been bounced around like a ****ing ping pong ball. That soft gangly frenchie wouldn't last at all in that era. Talking about All D teams who is Rudy's Center competition? Nobody. While Pat Ewing was playing on the murderer's row of big men. And had better defensive metrics than them.

[Xiao Yao You]

:roll:

If Rudy was stuck in the paint back then he would've been bounced around like a ****ing ping pong ball. That soft gangly frenchie wouldn't last at all in that era. Talking about All D teams who is Rudy's Center competition? Nobody. While Pat Ewing was playing on the murderer's row of big men. And had better defensive metrics than them.

Like Bol was bounced around yet was a rim protector anyway? He would have carried more weight if he played then. Which may not have been good for his knees but he wouldn't have needed to be as mobile to guard in space. There are guys that push him around today but he still holds his own just fine. Different eras. Ewing would have a hard time guarding in space today. Eaton was beating out Ewing for DPOTY and he was a joke! :lol

[72-10]

:roll:

If Rudy was stuck in the paint back then he would've been bounced around like a ****ing ping pong ball. That soft gangly frenchie wouldn't last at all in that era. Talking about All D teams who is Rudy's Center competition? Nobody. While Pat Ewing was playing on the murderer's row of big men. And had better defensive metrics than them.

I guess it's the statistically impressive Andre Drummond.

[72-10]

He was All Nba First team once which means voters considered him the best Center in the Nba. Peak healthy Ewings numbers of 28 pts 11 rebs 4 blks on 55%fg pretty much speaks for itself.

that's a pretty good point, it's not as though I think the honor should have gone to someone else and it's not as though I think the best center in the world was playing somewhere else, although Sabonis was probably almost as good in the Soviet Union, but I think the thread made for an interesting topic

[kawhileonard2]

Patrick Ewing was considered the best center in the NBA in 1990.

From 1990-1993 yes. 1994-1996 it was Hakeem. 1997-2010 it was Shaq.

[AussieSteve]

There was a point c.1989-90 that you could argue he was the best C in the world. Just before and during DRob's rookie season. Before Shaq. And before Hakeem peaked.

[Druckenmiller]

At some point in his career, was Patrick Ewing the best of anything in the world?

Best college player, arguably, in 1983-84, and/or, 1984-85.

[Real14]

If Ewing would of scored more and if Starks didn't choke in 94 finals then Ewing would of been the best. That's the reasons why Hakeem is very overrated on the all time greats list.

[dankok8]

If Ewing would of scored more and if Starks didn't choke in 94 finals then Ewing would of been the best. That's the reasons why Hakeem is very overrated on the all time greats list.

You do realize that Hakeem shut down Ewing in the 1994 Finals right? Held him to under 40% TS.

[L.Kizzle]

P Ew is a top 10 center all time and was a top 5 center throughout his career.

[Real14]

You do realize that Hakeem shut down Ewing in the 1994 Finals right? Held him to under 40% TS.

I did say if Ewing scored more too. Hakeem is still overrated .

[Real14]

P Ew is a top 10 center all time and was a top 5 center throughout his career.

Facts. Sometimes top 3, top 2.

[trada7029]

.
It's funny because Ewing's sidekick outplayed pippen 3 times, but Ewing still lost all 3 times:


1992 ECSF

X-Man..... 19 on 50%
Pippen.... 16 on 40%


1996 ECSF

Pippen.... 15 on 33%
Oakley..... 13 on 55%


1989 ECSF

Newman.... 15.5 ppg
Pippen....'... 14.8 ppg
Jackson..... 14.5 ppg... 11 apg

[RRR3]

.
It's funny because Ewing's sidekick outplayed pippen 3 times but lost all 3 times:


1992 ECSF

X-Man..... 19 on 50%
Pippen.... 16 on 40%


1996 ECSF

Pippen.... 15 on 33%
Oakley..... 13 on 55%


1989 ECSF

Newman.... 15.2 ppg
Pippen....'... 14.8 ppg
Jackson..... 14.2 ppg... 11 apg
How come you lied about playing college basketball?

[L.Kizzle]

Facts. Sometimes top 3, top 2.
Definitely.
He came in along with Akeem when Kareem, Mo and Parish were still the top 3 guys.

[72-10]

P Ew is a top 10 center all time and was a top 5 center throughout his career.

I agree, there's probably no point from his first year of college to the end of his pro career that he wasn't a top 5 center in the world...

In fact, he could have done something proposterous like taken two whole years off and still been considered an elite player.

[72-10]

I did say if Ewing scored more too. Hakeem is still overrated .

One thing some overlook is that Hakeem tended to get his best against weaker competition, i.e. he usually did well against the Dallas Mavs, or for another overlooked example, his college career, though brilliant, loses a substantial amount of esteem considering the weak conference he played in. The Southwest Conference was probably only the 8th strongest conference.

But you can't deny that Hakeem outplayed Ewing in '94 in a battle of giants.

[RRR3]

I agree, there's probably no point from his first year of college to the end of his pro career that he wasn't a top 5 center in the world...

In fact, he could have done something proposterous like taken two whole years off and still been considered an elite player.
Lol Ewing was absolutely not a top 5 center late in his career on the Magic and Sonics. Dude was completely washed.

[72-10]

If basketball were like baseball, Patrick Ewing would still be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

[72-10]

Here are thee best conferences:

1. Big Ten Conference
2. Big East Conference
3. Atlantic Coast Conference
4. SEC
5. Pacific 10 Conference
6. Big Eight Conference
7. Atlantic 10 Conference
8. Southwest Conference

[Indian guy]

Made All NBA 1st Team in 1990. So he was definitely considered the game's best center that year. Knicks also upset Boston in the 1st round that year behind a big series from him.

[72-10]

Made All NBA 1st Team in 1990. So he was definitely considered the game's best center that year. Knicks also upset Boston in the 1st round that year behind a big series from him.

That featured the Boston Massacre at Madison Square Garden.