Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Patrick Ewing has interviewed for the head-coach opening with the Memphis Grizzlies, a source confirmed Friday to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Ewing, the legendary Hall of Fame center, met with the Grizzlies on Thursday. CBS Sports reported the news earlier via Twitter.
The Sacramento Kings reportedly also interviewed Ewing this week before hiring Dave Joerger, who was fired last week by the Grizzlies after three seasons as their coach.
Sources close to the situation confirmed to ESPN that a divide between Joerger and the Grizzlies' front office had been growing for some time.
Ewing has been an assistant for four teams over the past 13 seasons and has spent the past three seasons as an associate head coach for Charlotte, which lost to the Miami Heat in seven games in their first-round playoff series.
Before this week, Ewing had interviewed for just two head-coaching positions. He turned down an opportunity to coach the Knicks' D-League team in 2012.
The Grizzlies have also received permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina, a source told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. The two-time Euroleague Coach of the Year has 27 years of coaching experience and joined the Spurs in July 2014.
Miami Heat assistant head coach David Fizdale will be interviewed by the Grizzlies as well, sources told Spears. Fizdale has 13 years of assistant coaching experience with the Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors that includes two NBA championships with Miami. He served as head coach of the Heat's summer league teams in 2010 and 2012.
Memphis stumbled into the playoffs after ending the regular season with a 3-14 stretch to finish 42-40 as the No. 7 seed in the West. The Grizzlies were then swept in the first round by the Spurs.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
