Patrick Ewing To Receive Inaugural Johnny Bach Award At Fordham University Tip Off Dinner Nov. 5

Oct. 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Patrick Ewing will receive the inaugural Johnny Bach Award from Fordham University at the Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Dinner on Monday night, November 5, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (Park Avenue at Grand Central) in New York.

John W. Bach, FCRH ’48, a coaching icon on the collegiate, professional, and international levels, is one of the greatest basketball minds of all time. A defensive specialist, he has been credited with helping the Chicago Bulls to win three straight NBA championships. He is still the all-time winningest coach in Fordham University basketball history (263-193), and led the Rams to five NIT appearances and a pair of NCAA berths in 18 seasons.

The Johnny Bach award is presented annually to the individual who has had substantial and lasting impact on the sport of basketball and who best emulates Mr. Bach’s drive and passion for excellence.

For information contact Grace Clark at GClark7@Fordham.edu, call 646-312-8223, or visit www.fordham.edu/tipoff. Individual tickets are priced at $300; tables and sponsorships are available at various prices.

“It's nice to be remembered.  It brings me closer to Fordham,” said Bach.  “I have great feelings for Fordham.  The past 20 years, between work and the grind of the NBA schedule, I haven't had a chance to get back.  I'm looking forward to getting back there.”

“Johnny Bach is a great coach, a great gentleman and a great friend,” said Ewing. “I had the opportunity to start my coaching career with Coach Bach in Washington. He is a person I look up to and admire. It is an honor to accept this award.”

“I'm delighted that Patrick Ewing will be the first recipient,” added Bach. “Michael Jordan brought both of us in to coach in Washington, and I gave him advice to take notes, watch what was going on, that he'd get his shot to coach one day. And he will.”
Bach's friendship with Ewing blossomed in their time together in Washington, with the veteran teaching the rookie coach the ropes of the profession.

“He and I have a nice relationship,” Bach continued. “I'll kid him that no one took three steps to the basket as well as he did. He would counter that Jordan was pretty good at taking the extra step or two as well.”

“Warrior” is the most apt description for the legendary Patrick Ewing, the recipient of the inaugural Fordham Johnny Bach Award. His accolades and accomplishments rank him as one of the greatest basketball stars at the center position in both college at Georgetown University and in the NBA, primarily with the New York Knicks. The native of Kingston, Jamaica, was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All-time in celebration of the N.B.A.’s 50th Anniversary in 1996; was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008; and his famed number 33 was retired and hoisted to the Madison Square Garden rafters in 2003. A menacing shot-blocker, feared defensive specialist and accomplished scorer, he will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame later this month on November 18. As a collegian, he led the Hoyas to three Final Fours and a National Championship in four seasons. He is Georgetown’s all time leader in games played, rebounds and blocked shots as a three-time All American. An 11-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold-Medalist, Patrick is the Knicks all-time leading scorer. In 1999, Ewing became the 10th player in NBA history to record 22,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. His relentless pursuit of an NBA championship was denied by the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in 1994. In recent years, he has been an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic in his quest for a well-deserved head-coaching position. He was the recipient of the prestigious Thurman Munson Award.  Patrick has three children: son Patrick Jr., and daughters Corey and Randi, who plays volleyball at Fordham University.