New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing names the greatest NBA player of all time

Patrick Ewing, a 17-year NBA veteran, was selected first overall in the 1985 draft by the New York Knicks, where he spent most of his career, leaving an indelible mark on the league and its fans. Now retired, the former center was asked to name the greatest basketball player of all time, and his response was direct.

“You know, it’s funny, everybody asks that question, and to me, Michael Jordan is the best in my era,” Ewing said during a 2024 interview on The Mark Jackson Show, emphasizing that, in his view, the Chicago Bulls legend stands above all other players in NBA history.

Patrick further explained why Jordan is at the top of the list, highlighting: “The way that he played, everything that he brought to the table.” However, he was quick to acknowledge other legends who deserve recognition, though he firmly placed MJ ahead. “Not to take anything away from LeBron (James) or Kobe (Bryant),” he noted.

While recognizing James as one of the best players he’s ever seen, Ewing drew a clear distinction between the two. “LeBron is great,” he said, “But Mike was a killer from day one, he was an assassin from day one.” Elaborating on James’ development, Ewing added: “I thought LeBron had to learn how to be an assassin… He’s great, but I’m going to say Michael.”

Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing wave to fans during the match between Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers on October 11, 2015 in Shenzhen, China.

Ewing vs Jordan

Ewing’s admiration for Jordan isn’t just theoretical—he lived it. Both players entered the NBA around the same time, with Jordan being drafted by Chicago in 1984 and Ewing the following year by the Knicks. The two were also teammates on the iconic 1992 Dream Team that captured gold at the Barcelona Olympics.

As competitors, Patrick and Michael faced off five times in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. In all of those matchups, Jordan’s Bulls triumphed over Ewing’s Knicks. Notably, with Ewing New York only reached the NBA Finals during the two occasions when Jordan was retired from basketball—first in 1994 when the Knicks eliminated a Jordan-less Bulls team, and again in 1999.

Ewing picks LeBron as a teammate

While Ewing has immense respect for Michael Jordan’s individual greatness, he’s not shy about sharing his preference as to who he’d want to play alongside. “If you ask me who would I want to play with, I would say LeBron,” Patrick explained. And then he gave the reason for his preference: “Because I wanna score,” the Knicks legend laughed.

“LeBron is a lot like Magic (Johnson). He’s a facilitator, he knows how to get people the ball.” Ewing said, highlighting that James’ playmaking ability is a major asset. And finally he considered, “You know, he became a scorer as he got older.”

Ewing’s legendary career

While Ewing’s views on the greatest of all time are insightful, his own legendary career speaks for itself. The former center was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1986, earned 11 All-Star selections, and twice represented Team USA in the Olympics, winning gold medals in both 1984 and 1992.