The Charlotte Bobcats this week hired legendary NBA star Patrick Ewing as an assistant coach.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the NBA team has hired Ewing to serve as “top” assistant to head coach Steve Clifford. His title will be “associate head coach.”

Ewing retired from NBA basketball in 2002, after a 16-year career. He was the first pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, and played for the New York Knicks for 15 years before finishing his career with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic. He was named an NBA all-star 11 times during his playing days, and was NBA Rookie of the Year in 1986. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

After retiring, Ewing began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets. In 2007 he moved on to an assistant coaching position with the Orlando Magic, working under coach Jeff Van Gundy until now.

(Image courtesy Seidenstud/Wikimedia Commons)
(Via Charlotte Observer)