Sophia Michaels
Patrick Ewing, the National Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee and the head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas’ men’s basketball team, announced on Friday evening that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Ewing announced the news in a statement that was released by Georgetown, and while he is the only member of the Hoyas’ program to receive a positive test, he is currently being monitored and isolated at a local medical facility.
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
According to the statement, Ewing’s intention was to stress that anyone can contract the virus, which has caused much of society to come to a halt. While he is optimistic about his ability to recover, Ewing made it a point to say that “the virus is serious and should not be taken lightly.”
Ewing had a decorated career as a player with the Hoyas, which he parlayed into going No. 1 overall in the 1985 NBA Draft. He is perhaps the greatest player in the history of the New York Knicks, where he spent the first 15 years of his playing career before year-long pit stops with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic prior to retirement. He then transitioned to a coaching role, serving on a handful of NBA benches before getting the call to return to his alma mater.
Several NBA players have publicly announced positive tests for COVID-19, and all of them, to the best of our knowledge, have made full recoveries. Here’s to hoping that Ewing joins those ranks as soon as possible.
Written by: Uproxx
