
The 1990s basketball era gets remembered for one thing above all else: physicality. Games were slower, grittier and built around power in the paint. That reputation created a narrative that dominant big men from that decade wouldn't survive in today's game.
Patrick Ewing doesn't buy it. The New York Knicks legend recently made it clear he thinks his game would hold up just fine in 2026 and then some.
Ewing appeared on "The Pivot Podcast" and didn't dance around the question when the subject came up. He went straight at the idea that his style belonged to a different time.
"I try not to compare my era to this era or eras in the past," Ewing said. "I know whatever era I played in, I'd be dominant. I was one of the big men who could shoot, but I didn't shoot a lot of 3s. Michael [Jordan] and I always joke about - He's like, 'Man, but you can't dribble.' I said - 'All I need is two dribbles. Two dribbles. That's it. Two dribbles, I can get from the free-throw line to the hole. So, it doesn't make a difference what era I'm in. I think I can still dominate."
Ewing stood 7-foot and weighed 240 pounds during his playing days, but his game went well beyond size. He earned 11 All-Star selections and seven All-NBA nods over his career. The league recognized him on its 75th Anniversary Team for a reason.
His rim protection and defensive instincts anchored some of the best Knicks teams in franchise history.
What gets overlooked is how polished his offensive game was. Ewing operated in the post, but he wasn't stuck there. His baseline jumper was smooth and reliable, stretching out near the three-point arc.
In an era where Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic spread the floor without hesitation, that kind of touch translates easily. Ewing's footwork and shooting range would fit right in with how centers play now. The game changed, but skill doesn't disappear.
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