Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Patrick Ewing may be an assistant coach for the Magic, but as he was quick to tell me, his presence in Las Vegas this weekend is strictly for family reasons. I chatted with him yesterday as we watched his son, Patrick Ewing, Jr., and the rest of the Sacramento Kings take on the Golden State Warriors.

Matt Watson: Of all the young big men that you've seen so far, who sticks out the most?

Patrick Ewing: Dwight Howard. (Laughing.) I haven't watched enough of these [summer league players] to say who's sticking out. I'm just here to be a father, to watch my son. That's all I'm here to do, to watch him, to evaluate him.

MW: What is that like for you? Everything that you've gone through, to now see your son going through the whole process, too?

Ewing: I think it's great. That's his dream to play in the NBA. He's moved one step closer to his dream becoming a reality. And I'm just happy. I'm proud of him. He's done an outstanding job -- he's graduated college, had an outstanding college career, and he's just a great person.


MW: What kind of advice do you tell him at a time like this?

Ewing: Keep on being focused, believe in himself, and go out there and play with a lot of confidence.

MW: Going back to Dwight Howard, what do the Magic have to do to take that next step? Because they were so close in the playoffs. The series against Detroit could have easily gone seven and it could have gone in Orlando's favor.

Ewing: Yeah, we definitely had our opportunities to win some games. We just got to get a few more pieces to the team, the young players that we have need to grow and develop and Dwight Howard [needs] to develop into a bona fide superstar.

MW: How close is he right now?

Ewing: I think he's very close.