Patrick Aloysius Ewing was born 5 August 1962 in Kingston, Jamaica, where he excelled at cricket and soccer as a child. At age eleven, he arrived in the U.S. with his family, where they settled in Cambridge, Massacheusetts. He learned how to play basketball at Cambridge Rindge and Latin, and he attended classes at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
As a freshman at Georgetown, Ewing became one of the first college players to start and star on the varsity team as a freshman. During his college years, Ewing made a name for himself, especially when he took his team to the NCAA title with an 84-75 win over the University of Houston in the 1983-84 season. Georgetown was ranked number one in the nation in Ewing's senior year, and Georgetown reached the NCAA championship tournament final game three out of four years. He was a first-team All-American.
Which is why it is not surprising that the NBA wanted Ewing upon graduation. Although he was plagued with injuries during his first year with the New York Knicks, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year with an average of 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game. Ewing went on to enjoy a successful basketball career, named eleven times as NBA All-Star, and once named to the All-NBA First Team. He also was named a member of the All-NBA Second Team six times and named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times. Ewing scored a spot on the original Dream Team at the 1992 Olympic Games and he also was provided the honor of being named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
In 2001, Ewing testified in part of the Atlanta's Gold Club prostitution and fraud federal trial. The owner, Thomas Sicignano, testified that he arranged for dancers to have sex with professional athletes. Ewing admitted he went to the club and received oral sex twice. Ewing was never charged with any criminal wrongdoing. On February 28, 2003, Ewing's jersey number 33 was retired in a large ceremony at Madison Square Garden.
In April, 2008, The Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Ewing would be enshirned as part of the class of 2008. Ewing also has had parts in several movies, including Space Jam, Exorcist III and Senseless. He's also appeared as himself in cameos on Spin City, Herman's Head, Mad About You and Webster.
Ewing's son, Patrick, also attended Georgetown University and he wore his dad's same jersey number, 33, in his basketball games. Patrick was drafted by the Sacramento Kings, but was then traded to the New York Knicks. |