Former New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing detailed how Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dominated him during the final years of Abdul-Jabbar's career, attributing it to a coaching decision by Rick Pitino.
Pitino, who coached the Knicks during the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons, opted not to double-team the aging six-time MVP.
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This left Ewing exposed to Abdul-Jabbar's efficient scoring, including his iconic skyhook, despite Abdul-Jabbar averaging just 14.0 points per game over his last three NBA seasons.
Ewing recalled in a Basketball Network interview published on May 25, 2026, that Pitino believed Abdul-Jabbar was too old to need defensive help, a strategy that backfired.
"We're getting ready to face the Lakers. Rick was like, 'No, we're not going to double Kareem,'" Ewing said.
Ewing warned Pitino about Abdul-Jabbar's enduring skill, but the veteran scored multiple consecutive points over him.
"I'm like, 'Rick, he may be getting older, but he is still good.'
Kareem got heated and I don't care what I did; I could push him to the three-point line.
He was still rolling and then that skyhook. I said, 'Rick, what did I tell you?
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We need to double-team him. He hit six consecutive skyhooks over me,'" Ewing said.
Game records show Abdul-Jabbar outscored Ewing 24-21 while shooting 61.1 percent from the field on January 22, 1988.
The following season, when Ewing entered his All-NBA and All-Defensive prime, Abdul-Jabbar still averaged 13.0 points across two regular-season meetings.
Later in Ewing's career, under coach Pat Riley in 1991, Riley wanted Ewing to develop a similar skyhook.
Ewing declined, noting Abdul-Jabbar's unique talent.
"I'm like, 'Coach, that's not my game. The Captain was special.
That's his thing.' I'm a jump shooter," Ewing said.
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Ewing also expressed disappointment that Abdul-Jabbar does not receive proper recognition in modern debates about the greatest basketball player of all time.
