Georgetown men's basketball coach Patrick Ewing tests positive for COVID-19
NBA Hall of Famer and former Georgetown Hoyas player Patrick Ewing is introduced as the Georgetown Hoyas' new head basketball coach at John Thompson Jr. Athletic Center on April 5, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - Georgetown University men’s basketball coach Patrick Ewing announced on Friday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
The legendary Hoyas and New York Knicks center said he made the announcement in order to emphasize the seriousness of the pandemic.
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“I wanted 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. Now more than ever, I want to thank the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I’ll be fine and we will get through this,” Ewing said.
According to a statement from Georgetown Athletics, Ewing is isolated at a local hospital, where he is being treated.
They say Ewing is the only member of the basketball program who has tested positive.
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.
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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report