Patrick Ewing breaks down why he would be dominant in today's game: "I was more athletic than Embiid"

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When people around the NBA world are talking about the era of the most dominant big men, the 1990s and early 2000s immediately come to mind for many of them. Grueling battles in the paint were a day-to-day occurrence, and strength was one of the primary means of dominating your opponent. Centers like David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Hakeem Olajuwon were just a few of the names that were sending chills down the spines of anybody who would try to stop them.

And while the role of the traditional big man has shifted towards more skilled seven-footers with a soft touch behind the arc, there are still guys from the past era who think they could dominate this modern-day approach to the five position. One such individual is Patrick Ewing, the legendary paint presence for the New York Knicks, who is certain that his game and skillset would translate perfectly to today’s NBA.

“You know, when I was in college, I wasn’t known as a scorer, I was more of a defender, I block shot catching lobs. I always I could always score, but you know emphasis my you know was on trying to help my team to win what by any means necessary,” the Knicks legend began dissecting the topic on his recent appearance on The Mark Jackson Show.

Prime Pat Ewing was a beast

Hoya Destroya spent four years in college donning the Georgetown University jersey and winning the NCAA Championship in his junior year. During that time, he averaged 15.3 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, and a mind-boggling 3.4 blocked shots. The 7-foot big defensive menace was selected with the first pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Knicks.

“Now, 1990 Patrick Ewing, I think I averaged 29 Points a game that year, should have been MVP… I mean, no double team is free-flowing they can’t stop me I think my numbers would be just as good as theirs. I was just as athletic as Embiid; he’s bigger than I was, but I could shoot,” he added.

During his lengthy tenure in the Big Apple, Pat established himself as a dynamic force on offense, adding to his renowned defensive prowess. His standout campaign was during the 1989-1990 season, in which he averaged an impressive 28.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game in 38.6 minutes of action. This stellar performance earned him fifth place in both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year rankings. And safe to say, with those kinds of numbers, Ewing would definitely be in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player even today.

Ewing tips his hat to the modern centers

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are widely regarded as two of the best players in the modern NBA, embodying the prototype of versatile big men with skills spanning all aspects of the game.

“It would have been some great battles going against those guys because, you know, they are very good, very talented, and they can do many things. I take my hat off the both of them,” Big Pat concluded.

Ewing credits the two MVPs for possessing incredible talent, but he is certain that he could stand his ground against these big men. One could even argue that Pat would be able to outmuscle both of them, especially considering the free-flowing game that is played today.

Unfortunately for the fans, that matchup is only possible in the realm of the imagination, and until someone like Big Pat bursts into the league again, it will be hard to tell who would have won this hypothetical battle of the bigs.