If Patrick Ewing played in the Russell/Wilt era

[Knicksfever2010]

with his physique/athleticism and competitiveness how great would he be viewed? I could see Ewing pushing Russell around like a schoolyard bully.

[Shepseskaf]

Ewing would get his, no matter what era he played in. An all-time great is an all-time great.

Its tough to compare players of different time periods because of the increases in strength and fitness. Ewing would have run rampant over the skinnier, less physical players of the Wilt/Russell times.

[L.Kizzle]

with his physique/athleticism and competitiveness how great would he be viewed? I could see Ewing pushing Russell around like a schoolyard bully.

Wilt didn't push Russell around and Wilt was bigger and stronger, so I doubt Pat would.

He'd be the 3rd or 4th best center in the league, battling with Willis Reed for that spot. He'd be ahead of Thurmond and Bellamy.

[bmd]

I think people inflate the skills of players from the past because of their mythical status. No way Ewing would have been 4th best. He would have dominated everybody in the league.

He would be doing things that the players back then didn't even know existed yet. He would be so technically superior.

[gengiskhan]

with his physique/athleticism and competitiveness how great would he be viewed? I could see Ewing pushing Russell around like a schoolyard bully.

Its hard to imagine such a complete center FAILED to win even one DPOY title in '90s or even 1 season MVP.

It still baffles me. D'Rob got 1. Hakeem got 1. Shaq got 1. Ewing got NONE despite playing on such great team as '90s NYK thanks to MJ.

But even if Ewing couldnt win season MVP, he FAILED to win a SINGLE DPOY on such great defensive minded team like 1992-1997 NYK.

Ewing is a SUPREME UNDERACHIEVER as the greatest HOYAS. Even Mourning has 2 DPOY titles.

Dunno what he would've accomplished against Wilt or Russell. They probably show ewing up too.

[Pushxx]

Wilt didn't push Russell around and Wilt was bigger and stronger, so I doubt Pat would.

He'd be the 3rd or 4th best center in the league, battling with Willis Reed for that spot. He'd be ahead of Thurmond and Bellamy.

Pretty much this.

[jongib369]

He would do great, but wouldn't be better than Russell, Chamberlain, Thurmond, Kareem(was in wilt era) and a few others you could make arguments for.

[Whoah10115]

Ewing would be absolutely the 3rd best center. Kareem came in after Russell retired...why are we ranking them all?


Ewing is better than Thurmond. Ewing is better than Reed also.

[jongib369]

Ewing would be absolutely the 3rd best center. Kareem came in after Russell retired...why are we ranking them all?


Ewing is better than Thurmond. Ewing is better than Reed also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh90_lXqh5o

Considering how well he played Kareem and Wilt on defense I couldn't take Ewing over Thurmond.

[ProfessorMurder]

Ewing is a SUPREME UNDERACHIEVER as the greatest HOYAS. Even Mourning has 2 DPOY titles.

You can't hold him responsible for the media/coaches not voting for him. He anchored great defenses and was a premiere super star in a huge market.

He'd be the MVP and DPOY if he was putting up his 1990 stats today. Nobody in the league is averaging 20/10 and he did it 9 years straight against great centers while averaging just under 3 blocks.

[Psileas]

He would do great, but wouldn't be better than Russell, Chamberlain, Thurmond, Kareem(was in wilt era) and a few others you could make arguments for.

Man, I'd love to see that 2/2/86 destruction. That's disgusting, and Kareem is almost 39 there!
Even at 40-almost 42, he still plays Ewing to a standstill and occassionally outplays him (1988-01-02). 1989 Ewing is only 1 year away from his statistical peak.

As for the question, it depends on the team he'd play for and his starting season, but individually and assuming he starts in 1960, he'd probably be a solid #3 in most seasons, since he was a better defender than Bellamy, a better offensive player than Thurmond and more durable than Reed. He has no case over Wilt or Kareem and not the intangibles of Russell.

[La Frescobaldi]

Patrick Ewing 6'10 240 lbs
Bill Russell 6'10 205
Kevin Garnett 6'11 210
Al Jefferson 6'10 240
Nikola Pekovic 6'11 285

Willis Reed 6'10 245
Reggie Harding 7-0 249
Mel Counts 7-0 230
Darrall Imhoff 6-10 220
Nate Thurmond 6'11 230
Wilt Chamberlain 7'1" 275
Erwin Mueller 6'8" 230

If he had been born in the 1930s he'd weigh probably 20 lbs less, since weight lifting wasn't a big deal until Wilt and a couple other guys showed what it could do for a player. But if you let it go at his listed weight, Patrick would be the right size to play in the '60s.

His offense would be exposed by Willis Reed & Nate Thurmond and he'd be destroyed by Russell or Chamberlain. Patrick was a great defender but he isn't at that level. Willis Reed tore up Kareem something fierce; he'd have little problems with Ewing.
Ewing would get a starting spot on the Bulls over Mueller, for sure the Royals would love to have him instead of Connie Dierking. Patrick was better than Zelmo Beatty over on the Hawks too, tho maybe not as strong. ZB was really powerful.

Here's Z going after 6'9 235 Dan Issel, one of the all time great forwards.


When you figure the 10 team NBA of the mid-60s, yeah Patrick Ewing would have a starting spot on one of those teams. He wouldn't start ahead of Wilt, nor Russell, nor Willis, nor Nate Thurmond.

It would be real interesting to see him battle Leroy Ellis. Ellis is totally forgotten today but he was a real solid center, better than the bottom half of the centers Ewing played against in the 90s. Leroy had a good outside game, could actually box out Bill Russell at times, and ran the court like a deer.

People think those guys in the 60s were mediocre but that's because they didn't watch basketball in those days. Fact is, they were America's elite basketball players. All of them would find a starting job in the NBA, in any year, of any era.

[La Frescobaldi]

Ewing would be absolutely the 3rd best center. Kareem came in after Russell retired...why are we ranking them all?


Ewing is better than Thurmond. Ewing is better than Reed also.

No he isn't.

[willds09]

Ewing wud at least get a ring or two

[senelcoolidge]

If Ewing played in that era he would probably be the 2nd best center in the league behind Wilt.