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Patrick Ewing Retires From NBA

Aired September 17, 2002 - 12:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take you live to New York where basketball great Patrick Ewing has stepped up to the microphone. The 11 time all-star in 17 NBA seasons, we are told, is calling for his retirement
Let's listen in.

PATRICK EWING, BASKETBALL PLAYER: They will, you know, have a certain image to get here, you know, to be able to work and to flourish and to make friends and play against great players, just everything, being in the greatest city in the world, New York. It was great for me. But you know, it was hard a hard decision to make. Because I still feel that, you know, I can still play. But I just felt that it was time for me to go on with the next chapter in my life.

So my decision is to retire, move on, spend some time with my friends and family, maybe. Or, but basically just to move on and to go on with the next phase of my life. I'd like to thank the Knicks. We had some great times here. I'd like to thank you guys even though we've had our love-hate relationship, more love though, I am going to give you that, more love. But I liked to thank all you all. I'd like to thank the fans. They were great. We had some good times.

I am sorry that we couldn't, I couldn't help bring a championship here. I know a lot of the guys who played with me, some of them are in this room, every time we stepped out on the court, we tried it, we gave it 110 percent. Unfortunately, you know, we fell short. But, like I said, we gave it 110 percent. And I hope that one day that New York will have a champion.

I'd like to thank everybody for showing up. You know, I see Mr. Jarvis over there who coached me in high school. Some of my coaches from you know from when I first started, like Steve Jenkins, weren't able to make it. You know, I see Jeff. Tom Pivet (ph) even though he didn't dress appropriate today. [laughter] See Allan. See Kenny Smith, even though he robbed me. Mark, Ralph, Alonzo, Herb, John, Mr. Doran, who helped me when I hurt my wrist. I -- did I miss anybody? And thank Lauri also. I think, you know, without Lauri and Lauri, this body probably would not be as effective. She's worked very hard. Thank David, Allison, Brenda, my family, Coach Thompson, I see Jeff back there. Jeff was there with me. And I see Scott. Steve. . .

PHILLIPS: Forty-year-old Patrick Ewing, all-time -- 11-time all star player, rather, in 17 NBA seasons is calling it quits. He's retiring. Ewing talk -- it's been speculated that he would go work for the Washington Wizards in some capacity. But, as you know, Ewing played his first 15 seasons with the New York Knicks, and then one in Seattle before joining the Orlando Magic. He's averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds and in 1997 he was selected for the NBA's 50 greatest players. We'll talk more about the legacy he leaves behind in the next hour with Matt Morrison.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 17, 2002 - 12:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take you live to New York where basketball great Patrick Ewing has stepped up to the microphone. The 11 time all-star in 17 NBA seasons, we are told, is calling for his retirement
Let's listen in.

PATRICK EWING, BASKETBALL PLAYER: They will, you know, have a certain image to get here, you know, to be able to work and to flourish and to make friends and play against great players, just everything, being in the greatest city in the world, New York. It was great for me. But you know, it was hard a hard decision to make. Because I still feel that, you know, I can still play. But I just felt that it was time for me to go on with the next chapter in my life.

So my decision is to retire, move on, spend some time with my friends and family, maybe. Or, but basically just to move on and to go on with the next phase of my life. I'd like to thank the Knicks. We had some great times here. I'd like to thank you guys even though we've had our love-hate relationship, more love though, I am going to give you that, more love. But I liked to thank all you all. I'd like to thank the fans. They were great. We had some good times.

I am sorry that we couldn't, I couldn't help bring a championship here. I know a lot of the guys who played with me, some of them are in this room, every time we stepped out on the court, we tried it, we gave it 110 percent. Unfortunately, you know, we fell short. But, like I said, we gave it 110 percent. And I hope that one day that New York will have a champion.

I'd like to thank everybody for showing up. You know, I see Mr. Jarvis over there who coached me in high school. Some of my coaches from you know from when I first started, like Steve Jenkins, weren't able to make it. You know, I see Jeff. Tom Pivet (ph) even though he didn't dress appropriate today. [laughter] See Allan. See Kenny Smith, even though he robbed me. Mark, Ralph, Alonzo, Herb, John, Mr. Doran, who helped me when I hurt my wrist. I -- did I miss anybody? And thank Lauri also. I think, you know, without Lauri and Lauri, this body probably would not be as effective. She's worked very hard. Thank David, Allison, Brenda, my family, Coach Thompson, I see Jeff back there. Jeff was there with me. And I see Scott. Steve. . .

PHILLIPS: Forty-year-old Patrick Ewing, all-time -- 11-time all star player, rather, in 17 NBA seasons is calling it quits. He's retiring. Ewing talk -- it's been speculated that he would go work for the Washington Wizards in some capacity. But, as you know, Ewing played his first 15 seasons with the New York Knicks, and then one in Seattle before joining the Orlando Magic. He's averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds and in 1997 he was selected for the NBA's 50 greatest players. We'll talk more about the legacy he leaves behind in the next hour with Matt Morrison.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com