Abdul-Jabbar and Ewing weigh in on Jason Kidd

Since retiring from the NBA, both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Patrick Ewing have tried, with no success, to find a head coaching job somewhere. Right now, Ewing is serving as associate head coach for the Charlotte Bobcats. His coaching search has been a battle, and was offered only a D-League head coaching gig from the New York Knicks, the team he spent almost his entire storied playing career with.

After Jason Kidd called it quits as an NBA player, he was immediately offered and given his first opportunity as an NBA head coach for the Brooklyn Nets.

 “I was surprised that Jason got it that quickly, coming right from playing,” Ewing said. “But he played a long, long time, and all it takes is for someone to believe in you, and someone believed in him. The ownership and the people with the Nets believe in him, so he got an opportunity. He got a good job, he gets to coach a veteran team in a great city, and the atmosphere in Brooklyn is tremendous. So I wish him the best.” 

 “Unfortunately,” he said, “they don’t feel like I’m ready to be moved up to the front of the bench. But every year I work, I count it as another year that I am improving at my craft.”

Ewing has spent time as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and now the Charlotte Bobcats. Ewing decided against coaching the Erie Bayhawks, thee D-League affiliate of the Knicks.

Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, has also been without luck in his coaching search. While trying to get a job with an NBA or NCAA team, he has found no success, but he had this to say of Jason Kidd:

“That’s great for Jason,” he said. “I don’t exactly know how that situation evolved but obviously they thought he had some talent, so I’m happy for him, but I couldn’t explain to you what it’s all about. It’s impossible.” 

Source: Yahoo! Sports
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