Former Knicks Center, Current Georgetown Coach Patrick Ewing Has COVID-19

May 23, 2020, 2:32 PM

Head coach Patrick Ewing of the Georgetown Hoyas directs players in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during the first round of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

BY HOWARD FENDRICH, AP

KSL Sports

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – Georgetown basketball coach Patrick Ewing tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated at a hospital.

“This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly,” the Hall of Famer as a player for the Hoyas in college and the New York Knicks in the NBA said in a statement issued by the university. “I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Now more than ever, I want to thank the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I’ll be fine and we will all get through this.”

The school said the 57-year-old Ewing is the only member of its men’s program who has contracted the coronavirus.

I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19. This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. pic.twitter.com/a2fMuhIZyG

— Patrick Ewing (@CoachEwing33) May 22, 2020

As a player, the 7-foot Ewing helped Georgetown win the 1984 NCAA men’s basketball championship and reach two other title games.

During Ewing’s four years playing for John Thompson Jr., Georgetown went 121-23, a winning percentage of .840.

He was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 draft after the Knicks won the NBA’s first lottery. Ewing wound up leading New York to the 1994 NBA Finals, where they lost to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets.

Ewing played 17 seasons in the NBA, 15 with the Knicks.

Get well soon, Big Fella. Stay strong 🧡💙 https://t.co/QV3r5IcuTw

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 22, 2020

After retiring as a player, he spent 15 years as an assistant or associate coach with four teams in the pros. In April 2017, he returned to Georgetown for his first job as a head coach at any level, replacing Thompson’s son in that job with the Hoyas.

In his first three seasons at his alma mater, Ewing’s teams have gone a combined 49-46 with zero trips to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2019-20, Georgetown finished the season with seven consecutive losses and a 15-17 record.

Last week, sophomore guard Mac McClung announced that he was planning to enter the NCAA transfer portal, joining four other Georgetown players who said during the season they would be switching schools.

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Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
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Stay home when you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
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If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

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Additional Resources

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