Patrick Ewing

Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is a
former National Basketball Association|NBA player.
He played most of his career with the New York
Knicks as their starting center
(basketball)|center. 

Ewing was born in Kingston, Jamaica; when he was
12 years old, he came to the United States with
his family, who settled in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, where he attended Cambridge Rindge
and Latin. He played college basketball for
Georgetown University, where he led the Hoyas to
the National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA
championship game in 1982, 1984, and 1985, winning
in 1984. By the time he arrived at Georgetown, he
had become a naturalized U.S. citizen, making him
eligible for membership on the U.S. Olympic
Games|Olympic team in 1984; he won a gold medal
with that team.

In 1985 he was selected first overall in the NBA
Draft by the New York Knicks|Knicks.  Although
injuries marred his first year in the league, he
was named NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie
of the Year by averaging 20 points, 9 rebounds and
2 blocks per game.  Very soon, he became one of
the premier center (basketball)|centers of the
league.  Ewing was an eleven time National
Basketball Association All-Star Game|NBA All-Star,
was named to the All-NBA First Team once, to the
All-NBA Second Team six times and to the NBA
All-Defensive Second Team three times.  He was a
member of the original Dream Team at the 1992
Olympic Games|Olympics, winning a second gold
medal.  In 1996, he was also given the honor of
being named one the 50 Greatest Players in NBA
History. 

In spite of all his honors, Ewing never managed to
lead the New York Knicks|Knicks to a NBA
championship, although he was a key contributor to
the Knicks' run to the Eastern Conference
championship in 1994 (the Knicks returned to the
NBA Finals in 1999, but Ewing missed the latter
part of their playoff run due to a hamstring
injury). This incident of the New York Knicks
making it to the NBA Finals despite Patrick Ewing
being injured is the prime evidence for a theory
called the "Ewing Theory". In 2000, he finally
left the New York Knicks|Knicks, being traded to
the Seattle Supersonics.  After a year with the
Seattle Supersonics|Supersonics and another with
the Orlando Magic, he finally announced his
retirement on September 18, 2002.

On February 28, 2003 Patrick Ewing's jersey with
number 33 was retired in a large ceremony at
Madison Square Garden. Although he failed to win a
NBA championship, he remains one of the best
center (basketball)|centers to ever play and
perhaps the greatest player in Knicks history.
Patrick Ewing continues his career as an assistant
coach with the Houston Rockets.
Footer 1992 Olympic Champions Basketball Men

Naismith Award Winners Men|
 preceded=Michael Jordan|
 succeeded=Johnny Dawkins

NCAA Tournament MOP Men|
 preceded=Hakeem Olajuwon|Akeem Olajuwon|
 succeeded=Ed Pinckney