Patrick Ewing felt ‘insulted’ that he was asked to coach a D-league team. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Hall of Fame New York Knicks center Patick Ewing said he felt “insulted” that the Knicks extended to him an offer to coach the team’s D-league affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com:

One source close to Ewing said the Hall of Famer felt a bit slighted by the Knicks’ offer to coach the Erie Bayhawks because he has already established himself in the NBA.

“Patrick has paid his dues,” the source said. “He was a little insulted.”

Needless to say, Ewing turned down the offer to coach the BayHawks. He had interviewed for the head coaching position with the Charlotte Bobcats and Portland Trail Blazers this summer, but wasn’t extended an offer from either team. Last season, he was not asked to stay with the Orlando Magic, where he had served as an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy, after Van Gundy was let go by the team.

Ewing said he wants to coach at the NBA level and considers New York his home:

“I played here. I know the ins and outs of New York, the media, the fans.”

The Knicks have an opening for another assistant coach, but the team reportedly does not have interest in Ewing. He has been overlooked by the team a number of times, despite the circus of personnel changes that have surrounded the Knicks in recent years:

“I consider myself a coach,” Ewing told reporters. “Even though I did play the position and (am) very knowledgeable about the position, I feel that I’m knowledgeable about every position.”

President Barack Obama has Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony and other basketball stars committed to a fundraising event. (Saul Loeb/Getty Images)

Barack Obama is about to get a boost in his fundraising efforts from a number of big names in the basketball world.

According to a report Tuesday afternoon from CBS.com, citing a campaign e-mail, the president will hold an “Obama Classic” basketball game as a fundraiser. Among those scheduled to participate are Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Sheryl Swoops.

The date and location of the game has not been confirmed.

For three dollars, a supporter can enter for the chance to win tickets to the game and a free flight and a night at a hotel.

Obama recently showed his support for the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team. Vice-president Joe Biden and first lady Michelle Obama were with him in attendance for the team’s exhibition win against Brazil in Washington D.C. in July.

Patrick Ewing is confident in the Dream Team’s hypothetical chances against today’s squad. (Fernando Medina, Getty Images)

The United States’ Men’s Basketball Team is off to a solid start at the 2012 Olympic games. After a string of exhibition victories, the team opened its campaign at the games today with a 98-71 victory over France.

However, ’92 Dream Teamer Patrick Ewing isn’t getting too carried away with the team’s recent results. Speaking with NBATV yesterday (relayed by FOX Sports‘ Chris Tomasson), Ewing said that while he doesn’t think the Dream Team would embarrass today’s squad, there is still little doubt as to which team is better.

“They’re a lot smaller than we were,’’ Ewing, one of 11 Hall of Famers on that Dream Team, said. “(The current team is) kind of light in the middle. Myself and David Robinson, we would have had a field day… I’m not saying we would have creamed them. Best out of 10, I’d say we’d have beaten them 10 out of 10.’’

Ewing didn’t elaborate on how winning 10 games out of 10 does not qualify as a “creaming.”

Patrick Ewing will interview for the Portland Trail Blazers vacant head coaching position.

Patrick Ewing will interview for the Portland Trail Blazers head coaching job, Comcast SportsNet Northwest’s Chris Haynes reported Saturday. Ewing’s former agent, David Falk, confirmed that Ewing will interview.

The Hall-of-Famer Ewing is currently an assistant with the Orlando Magic, where he has been a mentor to star center Dwight Howard. He has been considered for numerous head coaching jobs in the past, most recently this offseason with the Charlotte Bobcats. He interviewed in May for the Bobcats position, but the Bobcats ended up hiring Mike Dunlap.

The Blazers hired general manager Neil Olshey in June, and he has been heading the coaching search.

Other names the Blazers are reportedly targeting include Indiana’s Brian Shaw, Golden State’s Mike Malone, Memphis’ David Joerger, Orlando’s Steve Clifford, and Chicago’s Adrian Griffin. Interim head coach Kaleb Canales is also a candidate. Upon his hiring, Olshey called him the “favorite” to keep his position.

“If you’re asking me to handicap it, I’ll say (Canales is) the in-house favorite right now. … At the end of the day, I don’t see anyone bringing more to the table than Kaleb Canales.”

Patrick Ewing is no longer in the running to be the new head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Fernando Medina/Getty Images)

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan called Patrick Ewing to let him know that he is no longer being considered for the team’s head coaching job, reports Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ewing, an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic for the past five years, had interviewed for the Bobcats’ position earlier this month. Wojnarowski reports that Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan, former Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan and Warriors assistant Mike Malone are among the remaining candidates for the job.

The Bobcats finished this season with the lowest winning percentage in league history. Charlotte went only 7-59.

The attractiveness of the coaching position would grow if Charlotte can win the NBA Draft Lottery tonight. The Bobcats have a 25 percent chance of winning, thanks to their league-worst record. The presumed first pick, Kentucky star Anthony Davis, would go a long way toward helping the team move in the right direction.

The Charlotte Bobcats will interview current Orlando Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing for their coaching vacancy, according to the Associated Press.

Several assistants around the league have already interviewed for the job, with more to come.

Team owner Michael Jordan is a friend of Ewing’s, though Jordan will not sit in on the interview.

New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing will reportedly interview for the Charlotte Bobcats head coaching job, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Ewing is currently an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic, and has played a large role in the development of big man Dwight Howard. The Bobcats will reportedly set up an interview with Ewing once Orlando is eliminated from the playoffs.

Ewing has served as an assistant coach for both the Magic and the Washington Wizards. In each position he was given the task of mentoring a young big man. It is believed he may have that same task with the Bobcats if they select Kentucky star Anthony Davis this year in the NBA draft.

The Bobcats head coaching job became vacant when the club decided not to bring back Paul Silas, who led the team to a 7-59 record this season. The Bobcats’ mark represented the lowest winning percentage in league history.

The New York Knicks have been without Mike D’Antoni for only two weeks, and they’ve yet to even begin the search for a long-term head coach. But once that search does start, Knicks playing legend Patrick Ewing would be interested.

“I’d be interested in any job, but this is home, naturally,” Ewing told Ian O’Connor of ESPN New York. “I still have my place here [in New Jersey], and I’d love to interview for any job, here or anywhere.

“I played here. I know the ins and outs of New York, the media, the fans.”

Ewing, who currently works as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic, clarified that he doesn’t want to campaign for a position that’s not open, and he opined that Mike Woodson was doing “an outstanding job” on an interim basis. But when the time comes, he’d like to be considered for a job as a head coach in the NBA.

“I think I’ve paid my dues,” he said. “I’ve been an assistant coach for eight, going on nine years, and I’d love to have an opportunity to get an interview.”