credit to Eamonn Brennan
Who is the top up-and-coming coach in the DMV? — Paul F.
It depends on your definition of the term.
For example, if the idea here is referring to “solely considering a person’s experience and/or prospectus specifically related to college basketball,” then it’d be pretty hard to argue with Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing. In the matter of two seasons, Ewing has not only reenergized a downcast, fractious fan base but also put a genuinely watchable, promising product on the floor, improving the Hoyas ahead of schedule each season and revolutionizing the formerly stodgy way they played. This Georgetown team — one with reasonable NCAA Tournament aspirations in Ewing’s Year 3 — is young, fast and fun. That’s night and day from the situation Ewing inherited.
That said, I don’t think Ewing would very much appreciate being called an “up-and-coming coach.” Before he returned to the Hilltop in 2017, he was an NBA assistant for the Wizards, Rockets, Magic and Hornets, a 15-year career on the bench of the greatest basketballing competition in the world. If anything, Ewing had long since established himself as one of the more stalwart assistants in the NBA game; he was understandably frustrated not to have more head coaching opportunities when he was presented with the chance to give it a go at Georgetown. He’d most likely be eager to underline this experience. He’s not exactly new to this.
That’s why I’ll draw the distinction and instead give the nod to George Washington’s Jamion Christian, one of the more thoughtful, more interesting young coaches in the college game. It’s really hard to talk to Christian for any length of time and not come away impressed by his energy and his desire to do things differently. He’s had success at every head coaching gig. And he has a chance, with solid backing from the GW brass, to turn the Colonials back into a solid mid-major hoops force in the years to come. He’s one to watch.
Who is the top up-and-coming coach in the DMV? — Paul F.
It depends on your definition of the term.
For example, if the idea here is referring to “solely considering a person’s experience and/or prospectus specifically related to college basketball,” then it’d be pretty hard to argue with Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing. In the matter of two seasons, Ewing has not only reenergized a downcast, fractious fan base but also put a genuinely watchable, promising product on the floor, improving the Hoyas ahead of schedule each season and revolutionizing the formerly stodgy way they played. This Georgetown team — one with reasonable NCAA Tournament aspirations in Ewing’s Year 3 — is young, fast and fun. That’s night and day from the situation Ewing inherited.
That said, I don’t think Ewing would very much appreciate being called an “up-and-coming coach.” Before he returned to the Hilltop in 2017, he was an NBA assistant for the Wizards, Rockets, Magic and Hornets, a 15-year career on the bench of the greatest basketballing competition in the world. If anything, Ewing had long since established himself as one of the more stalwart assistants in the NBA game; he was understandably frustrated not to have more head coaching opportunities when he was presented with the chance to give it a go at Georgetown. He’d most likely be eager to underline this experience. He’s not exactly new to this.
That’s why I’ll draw the distinction and instead give the nod to George Washington’s Jamion Christian, one of the more thoughtful, more interesting young coaches in the college game. It’s really hard to talk to Christian for any length of time and not come away impressed by his energy and his desire to do things differently. He’s had success at every head coaching gig. And he has a chance, with solid backing from the GW brass, to turn the Colonials back into a solid mid-major hoops force in the years to come. He’s one to watch.
