Patrick Ewing is heading back to the bench.
After spending the past few seasons around the Knicks as an advisor and ambassador, Ewing has taken an assistant coaching job with the Washington Wizards, giving him another shot to work toward the coaching role he has wanted.
For New York fans, Ewing has always been one of the franchise’s defining names. He spent more than a decade as the team’s star, and that long connection is part of why he stayed tied to the organization in an off-court role.
Now he’s moving into a different setting with Washington, where Brian Keefe’s staff is continuing to grow. The Wizards have been making changes across the organization, and the coaching group is part of that push.
Ewing brings obvious value on two fronts: he has coached before, and he also knows what it means to carry the weight of being an NBA star. That combination should make him a useful voice for players throughout the roster.
He can be a mentor for a young player like AJ Dybansta, while also offering help to the bigger bodies on the team, including Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, and Deandre Ayton.
The Wizards also added another experienced voice in former Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, who has joined Keefe’s staff as well.
With that kind of experience around the bench, Washington is building a staff that could make some noise. The roster has veterans such as Davis and Trae Young who can help in the regular season, while younger pieces like Dybantsa and Sarr give the team a path to a higher ceiling down the line.
In Other News...
Michigan Freshman Drawing Unexpected Buzz Along The Wolverines Defensive Front
Michigans 2026 recruiting class already looks like one of the more intriguing groups in the country, and the attention around the defensive front has started to shift toward Titan Davis. The freshman lineman arrived with a reputation for disruptive play in high school, and his name has surfaced alongside other highly rated newcomers such as Savion Hiter and Carter Meadows as a player who could factor into the conversation sooner rather than later.
CBS Sports recently singled out Davis as one of the freshmen to watch, a notable nod for a player who may not need long to make his presence felt in Ann Arbor. There is still some uncertainty around how quickly that role settles in, especially with summer enrollment in the mix, but Michigan has every reason to keep a close eye on a defender who could end up carving out a bigger spot on the line than most first-year players do. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwood Hype Meets A Brutal Michigan Reality Check
Bryce Underwoods arrival has given Michigan fans a reason to dream again, but one national projection is a reminder that hype only goes so far when the schedule gets real. CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford sees the Wolverines finishing 8-4 in 2026, a mark that would still reflect a talented roster but also the growing pains of a program adjusting to Kyle Whittinghams first season in charge.
The early test comes quickly, with Oklahoma looming as a major non-conference challenge that could set the tone for the fall. Even with Underwood headlining a group that looks capable of beating most opponents on paper, the broader view is less forgiving, and it leaves Michigan staring at the same question so many teams face after a coaching change: is the talent good enough to survive the transition and stay in the playoff conversation? [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Push For Elite Corners Suddenly Feels Far More Real
Jernaro Gilford has quickly become one of the more important additions on Michigans staff, and the early returns are showing up where the Wolverines have wanted them most: in the secondary. The new cornerbacks coach, who came over after coaching at BYU, has helped give Michigan real momentum with elite defensive back targets in the 2027 class, and his competitive style plus NFL player-development background has resonated in a way that is already lifting the programs profile on the trail.
Michigans recruiting work in the Big Ten is sitting at No. 11 for now, but the broader takeaway is that the Wolverines no longer look like a team merely hoping to get in the mix for top corners. With a highly rated defensive back class already taking shape, there is a clear path for the group to keep climbing if the next wave of blue-chip commitments breaks the right way. [Read more 🡒]