Patrick Ewing

Raised in Cambridge and star Basketball Player for the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School Team, he is now a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

EARLY LIFE

Patrick Ewing was born August 5, 1962 in Kingston, Jamaica. As a child, he excelled at cricket and soccer. In 1975, 12-year-old Ewing moved to the United States and joined his family in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

He learned to play basketball at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School with the help of John Fountain. With only a few years of playing experience, Ewing developed into one of best high school players in the country, and among the most intimidating forces ever seen at the level given his size and athleticism. Due to his stature and the team’s dominance, Ewing was subject to racially fueled taunts and jeers from hostile away crowds. Once rival fans even rocked the team bus when Ewing’s squad arrived to play an away game. In order to prepare for college, Ewing joined the MIT-Wellesley Upward Bound Program.

President Ronald Reagan with John Thompson and Patrick Ewing after Georgetown won the 1984 NCAA Championship. Wikipedia.com

COLLEGE LIFE

Ewing’s four-year college career is cited as one of the most successful college runs of all time. Among his many accomplishments, he helped Georgetown reach the final game of the NCAA Tournament three out of four years, win three Big East Tournament titles, and was named a first-team All-American three times. He also left a cultural impact on the sport in a variety of ways. He was one of the first freshmen to not only start for but lead a major college basketball team, something unheard of back in his era. Also, he developed a habit of wearing a short sleeved T-shirt underneath his jersey, which started a fashion trend among young athletes that lasts to this day.

NBA LIFE

Ewing was expected to be the top pick in the 1985 NBA draft. The team [New York Knicks] that selected him would be making history by doing so. Although injuries marred his first year in the league, he was voted NBA Rookie of the Year and named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team after averaging 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Soon after he was considered one of the premier centers in the league. Ewing enjoyed a successful career; eleven times named an NBA All-Star, once named to the All-NBA First Team, six times a member of the All-NBA Second Team, and named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times. He was a member of the original Dream Team at the 1992 Olympic Games. He was also given the honor of being named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Read more about his NBA career here

AWARDS & HONORS

In 1993, he led the NBA with 789 defensive rebounds. He was top ten in field goal percentage 8 times, top ten in rebounds per game as well as total rebounds 8 times, top ten in points, as well as points per game 8 times, and top ten in blocks per game for 13 years.[24]

In 1999, Ewing became the 10th player in NBA history to record 22,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.

  • Rookie of the Year (1986)

  • All-NBA First Team (1990)

  • All-NBA Second Team (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997)

  • NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1988, 1989, 1992)

  • 11-time All-Star; One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)

  • 2-time Olympic gold medalist (1984, 1992)

  • 3-time All-American (1983–1985)

  • NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1984)

  • Naismith College Player of the Year (1985).

  • AP College Player of the Year (1985)

  • NABC Player of the Year (1985)

  • Sporting News College Player of the Year (1985)

  • Adolph Rupp Trophy (1985)

  • Number 33 Retired for the New York Knicks

  • Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (in 2008 as an individual & 2010 as a member of the Dream Team)

Courtesy Wikipedia.com