NBA

Ewing continues to look for 1st head coach gig

When the NBA opened its doors for another season, 13 head coaching changes had taken place around the league, nine with men in their first-ever top billing assignment.

Not one of them was named Patrick Ewing.

“I don’t know why,” said one opposing team exec who was not looking for a head coach this last offseason. “Maybe he’s not a good interview. He certainly has paid his dues.”

Well, the interview process could not have hurt Ewing this time. He did not receive a single interview. Not only was he not a finalist anywhere, he wasn’t even a candidate.

“I can’t even worry about it anymore. All I can do is just keep working,” said Ewing, an assistant to first-time head coach Steve Clifford in Charlotte. “I have a job and I’m happy. I’ll keep working and see if one day, somebody will give me an opportunity. All it takes is a chance. All it takes is an opportunity and hopefully one day I’ll get my chance.”

As for the dues, Ewing is in his 10th season as an assistant. He did one season in Washington, three in Houston, and five in Orlando after a stunning pro career that helped bring him to the Hall of Fame.

He coaches because he enjoys it and it keeps him around the game on a daily basis. But Ewing wants that head coaching chance almost as much as the championship that always eluded him as a player. Until he gets the call, he’ll share all the knowledge and experience he gained in his career.

“We share a common philosophy. I really learned the NBA as much as anybody from Jeff [Van Gundy]. Pat played for Jeff, played for [Pat] Riley. We both worked for Stan [Van Gundy]. It’s all very similar. So we look at what wins in this league in a very similar vein,” Clifford said Tuesday before the Bobcats faced the Knicks at the Garden. “He’s a very good communicator. He knows this league. He knows what wins in this league. He works hard at being a coach.”

Okay, so why doesn’t Ewing get a sniff at a job? Why haven’t the Knicks ever called with anything other than a temporary TV job for the man who leads them in 10 career categories, including points, rebounds, blocked shots and steals?

“It’s not skill wise. It only takes one organization or one GM to give you an opportunity. I think he’ll be a great head coach. But I’m not a GM,” Clifford said.

Maybe it’s a center thing. Big men can’t coach.

“Maybe that’s what they think. That’s why I don’t want to be known as a big-man coach. I just want to be known as a coach,” Ewing said.

Of all the hires this past offseason, the biggest contrast to Ewing’s plight was Jason Kidd signing with the Nets after an interminable nine-day retirement. Ewing had only good things to say about Kidd.

“Somebody believed in him. I wish him the best,” Ewing said. “That’s all it takes is you get the opportunity to fail or succeed and hopefully he will succeed.

“One day, I hope I get the chance. It’s all about getting the opportunity.”