Mike Wise of the New York Times remembers that for most of his career, Patrick Ewing would wrap up a game by standing in front of his locker and proclaim, "I?m done, fellas". Today, the man whom Willis Reed called the greatest player in Knicks history is indeed done, retiring after an often-magnificent and often-maligned career.

Ewing, who is largely responsible for the resurgence of Knicks? basketball will announce his retirement in a Manhattan hotel at noon today. Wise writes that the 40-year old Ewing is making the right decision. After all of his successes, he has deteriorated to nothing more than a role-player now, chasing that elusive NBA title.

"His career defines his greatness," the former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said nearly two years ago. "There's nothing I can say more about his greatness than what everyone saw on the floor.

"He came to win. He came to practice every day to win, and I think that's probably what I admire about him most. His stubbornness, a great trait when kept in the right proportion, helped him believe in himself when others may have doubted him, particularly early in his career. High school, coming out of college, people said what he could and couldn't do. He kept developing because he had great belief in himself."

The New York Knicks chose Ewing with the first pick in the 1985 draft. In fifteen seasons with the Knicks, Ewing led New York to 668 wins and to the playoffs 13 times. For his Knicks career, Ewing averaged 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds. He averaged more than 20 points a game until his last two years with the Knicks; he spent those seasons trying to mesh with Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby. Since his departure before the 2000-01 season, they have yet to get out of the first round.

Afternoon Update: At a news conference, Patrick Ewing said "It's time to move on," "It was a great ride.

"I'm disappointed that I never won a championship -- in the pros, I've got to add that. But I'm at peace."

Ewing said he has been hired as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, meaning he will be on a team with the player who often denied him his shot at an NBA title: Michael Jordan.

Jordan led to the Chicago Bulls to six championships, knocking off the Knicks in the playoffs in four of those seasons.