Report: Georgetown, Patrick Ewing agree to contract extension

Shortly after Georgetown’s Cinderella run saw the Hoyas win the 2021 Big East crown and punch an unlikely ticket to the NCAA Tournament, Georgetown agreed to a contract extension with head coach Patrick Ewing, according to a report from Jon Rothstein.

The terms, salary and duration of the extension has not been made public, but it came at a difficult time for Georgetown. The Hoyas finished with a 13-13 regular-season record last season, then went just 7-9 in conference play; however, Georgetown did what many thought was impossible, entering the Big East Tournament as a No. 8 seed, only to beat No. 9 Marquette, No. 1 Villanova, No. 5 Seton Hall and No. 2 Creighton. In winning the Big East Tournament, Georgetown clinched an NCAA Tournament berth, but the Hoyas were eliminated in the first round. Now, the university is stuck with an untimely extension for Ewing; the university presumably extended him for at least a couple years, and Georgetown is struggling mightily this season.

Georgetown is in dead last in the Big East this season. The Hoyas boast a 6-20 overall record, with wins over American, Siena, Longwood, UMBC, Syracuse and Howard, and they are 0-15 in conference play. Ewing, who is now in his fifth season at Georgetown, has only gone over .500 once in his tenure.

A Georgetown alumnus, Ewing was hired to succeed John Thompson heading into the 2017-18 season. He led the Hoyas to a 15-15 overall record, including a 5-13 conference record, and Georgetown hardly improved the following year, going 19-14 overall with a 9-9 conference record. Still, that 2018-19 season was Ewing’s best at Georgetown in terms of record; the Hoyas stil did not make the tournament.

In 2019-20, Georgetown went 15-17 with a 5-13 conference record, leading to Ewing helping the Hoyas to an unlikely NCAA Tournament berth last season.

Ewing had not coached at the college level prior to his hiring. He spent two seasons with the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach in the early 2000s, then later spent five seasons with the Houston Rockets, again as an assistant. He held two more NBA stints, both as an assistant coach, leading up to 2017, coaching as an assistant for the Orlando Magic for six seasons, then serving as an assistant coach for the then-Charlotte Bobcats for five years, before being hired by Georgetown.

Ewing boasts a 68-79 overall record in his five seasons at the helm of the Georgetown Hoyas, including a 26-59 record in Big East play.