Patrick Ewing is back on an NBA bench. In July 2026 the Knicks great agreed to join Brian Keefe's Washington Wizards as an assistant coach, leaving his role as New York's basketball ambassador just weeks after the Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973. For a man who gave Madison Square Garden 15 seasons, it was a fitting moment to move on.
Ewing remains the Knicks' all-time leading scorer, an 11-time All-Star and a two-time Olympic champion. Explore our Patrick Ewing collection and celebrate Big Pat.
Patrick Ewing Fact File
| Full name | Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 August 1962 (age 64) |
| Place of birth | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Height | 7ft 0in (213cm) |
| Position | Centre |
| Nationality | Jamaican-American |
| Current team/status | Assistant coach, Washington Wizards |
| Shirt number | 33 (retired by the Knicks) |
| Nickname | Big Pat, Hoya Destroya |
Career History
| Years | Team | Games | Points per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–2000 | New York Knicks | 1,039 | 22.8 |
| 2000–01 | Seattle SuperSonics | 79 | 9.6 |
| 2001–02 | Orlando Magic | 65 | 6.0 |
| Career | 1,183 | 21.0 |
Regular-season NBA figures from Basketball-Reference. His Knicks total of 23,665 points is a franchise record.
Kingston, Cambridge and Georgetown
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Ewing moved to the United States and starred at Cambridge Rindge and Latin in Massachusetts, winning three straight state titles from 1979 to 1981. At Georgetown he became the most feared big man in college basketball, reaching three NCAA finals in four years. In 1984 the Hoyas beat Houston for the title and Ewing was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and in 1985 he was named national Player of the Year.
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The Face of the Knicks
The Knicks won the first NBA draft lottery in 1985 and took Ewing first overall. He was Rookie of the Year in 1986 and quickly became the heartbeat of New York. His finest scoring season came in 1989–90, when he averaged 28.6 points and made the All-NBA First Team. Few moments sum him up better than Game 6 of the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals, when he scored 27 points on a badly sprained ankle to beat Michael Jordan's Bulls.
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Finals Heartbreak and a Dream Team Gold
Ewing led New York to the 1994 NBA Finals, where they lost to Houston in seven games, though his 30 blocks in that series remain a Finals record. The Knicks returned to the Finals in 1999 but fell to San Antonio. Internationally, he won Olympic gold in 1984 and again in 1992 as part of the original Dream Team. After short spells in Seattle and Orlando, he retired in September 2002.
Life on the Bench
Ewing spent years as an NBA assistant with Washington, Houston, Orlando and Charlotte before returning to Georgetown as head coach from 2017 to 2023, winning the 2021 Big East tournament. He then rejoined the Knicks as an ambassador in October 2024, and in 2026 headed back to Washington.
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Honours
College
- NCAA champion 1984
- Final Four Most Outstanding Player 1984
- Naismith Player of the Year 1985
NBA
- Rookie of the Year 1986
- 11-time All-Star
- All-NBA First Team 1990
- NBA 50 Greatest Players and 75th Anniversary Team
International
- Olympic gold 1984 and 1992
Hall of Fame
- Naismith Hall of Fame 2008 (and 2010 with the Dream Team)
Off the Court
Ewing's signature shoe line, Ewing Athletics, was relaunched in 2012, and in 2014 he and agent David Falk donated $3.3 million towards Georgetown's John R. Thompson Jr. athletics centre.
FAQs
How old is Patrick Ewing?
Patrick Ewing was born on 5 August 1962, so he is 64 years old.
Where was Patrick Ewing born?
He was born in Kingston, Jamaica, before moving to Massachusetts as a youngster.
How tall is Patrick Ewing?
Ewing is listed at 7ft 0in (213cm).
What teams did Patrick Ewing play for?
He played for the New York Knicks (1985–2000), Seattle SuperSonics (2000–01) and Orlando Magic (2001–02).
Is Patrick Ewing the Knicks’ all-time leading scorer?
Yes. His 23,665 points for New York remain a franchise record, as do his 1,039 games.
Did Patrick Ewing ever win an NBA title as a player?
No. He reached the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999 with the Knicks but lost both times.
Shop the Patrick Ewing Collection
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See the full Patrick Ewing collection, shop more New York Knicks gear and our wider basketball collection, or create a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Michael Jordan Career Story and Hakeem Olajuwon Career Story.
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