Patrick Ewing Relaunching Shoe Company ‘Ewing Athletics’

Former Knicks center Patrick Ewing, who was recently let go as part of Stan Van Gundy’s coaching team in Orlando, will take some time off from the sidelines and instead focus on relaunching his shoe company, Ewing Athletics. The company originally made its debut during the 1989 NBA season, and bubbled quickly, evolving into a multi-million dollar brand by 1990. Ewing and his partners released more than 20 different shoe models until 1996, when a tough market climate forced them to shut down the business. Via ESPN.com: “‘The brand will hit retail stores in New York on Friday and subsequently roll out in 33 stores nationwide before hitting Europe for the holiday season. ‘We did very well for a while, but it got harder,’ Ewing said. ‘Lot of kids started replacing basketball shoes with Timberland sneakers and Nike became more of a force.’ Nike is even bigger today, selling 95 percent of the basketball shoes in this country, according to market retail tracking firm SportsOneSource. That’s why Ewing says the key is to start small. ‘We’re not going to mass produce and try to sell as many pairs as we can in the first year,’ Ewing said. ‘We know that if we’re patient, we’ll do well for years to come.’ The first shoes that will hit stores are dubbed the ‘33 Hi Retro.’ Ewing’s name and signature are on the tongue, heel and side and a ‘33′ keychain comes attached to the shoe. The shoes come in a box with an older picture of Ewing in the blue and white of Georgetown, where he led the Hoyas to a national title in 1984. The shoes will retail for $100.”