Patrick Ewing joins GoJo and Golic to talk load management, Wemby, MJ

Patrick Ewing, the NBA legend and current Hornets coaching consultant, joined Mike Golic Jr. and Mike Golic Sr. on Wednesday to talk some hoops and his own history.

Patrick famously played in a more physical era and a physical style, yet the expectation was that players would plan on playing 82 games every year barring injury. In this era of load management, Spurs No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama made waves by saying that he wants to play in every game. Patrick said it was a breath of fresh air to hear Wemby say that he aims to play in all 82 games.

Senior wanted to know what it’s like from a coaching perspective to have to work in something like load management that Patrick never had to deal with during his playing days. Patrick said that in order to be an effective coach you have to change with the times. He said you want your players to play as many minutes and games as they can, but you also have to listen to the doctors and trainers for the feedback they’re going to provide.

Going back to Wemby for a second, GoJo wanted to know if Patrick, a former No. 1 overall pick himself, remembers the feelings he had going into his first NBA game. Patrick said he remembers that his first game was against the 76ers and one of his idols, Dr. J, as well as Moses Malone. He remembers getting a putback dunk over Moses, but then he says Moses kicked his butt for the rest of the game. Patrick said he’s sure there will be a lot of emotions for Wemby, it’s something he’s sure he’s dreamed about, and now the day is here. Patrick says Wemby now has the chance to follow in the footsteps of greats like Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

GoJo asks Patrick what would worry him most if he was an opposing player preparing to face Wemby. Patrick says everything, with a laugh. Patrick points out that Wemby is 7-foot-4 but can also dribble and shoot like a guard. He says the main thing you can do is try to be as physical with Wemby as you can within the rules and just make him work for everything while also being able to go at him on the other end.

When asked about how to approach such a long season, Patrick points out that Jeff Van Gundy once called the season a sprint but a marathon. Patrick says it’s a long season, but you want to get out of the block fast while also maintaining your speed. He says the goal is to win as many games as you can to get yourself ready for the REAL season, which is the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Ewing recently joined the NBA Today and said he would be the GOAT of this era. When asked to expand on this, Patrick says he thinks all the physicality he had to endure in his era would not be a factor in today’s game. Patrick points out that he was tough and hard-nosed, able to score on the blocks and able to face up and take his shot. He said he believes his athleticism and work ethic would help him be dominant in this era.

Later on, GoJo asks if Ewing’s old rival/friend Michael Jordan ever tries to get him back out on the court now that he’s back with the Hornets (MJ is no longer the majority owner, but he still has a minority stake). Ewing says MJ is definitely one of the most competitive people he’s ever known. Now, he says MJ hasn’t tried to get him back on the court because those days are over for Patrick — he’s not looking to go out and hurt himself trying to get back on the court. But Patrick says Jordan is still very competitive, but was a great owner and remains a great friend and he’s happy he was able to get the sale he wanted for the Hornets.

Of course, GoJo couldn’t let Patrick go without asking an important question — do today’s players know him more for his “Patrick Chewing” commercial?

SHOW BREAKDOWN

Hour 1: Wilder Wednesdays — Charlotte on the Phillies, LeBron & Jokic’s Triple-Double Debut + Eli Drinkwitz Missouri Football Head Coach on 7-1 start and Michigan’s sign stealing scandal

VIDEO:

Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show will also be available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.

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