Former NBA superstar Patrick Ewing has confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus but issued an assurance that all is well with him. Now the coach for Georgetown University, the New York Knicks legend said he is going public about his health condition so as to warn how serious the raging pandemic is.
In his social media post, Ewing indicated that he is under hospital care and is expected to beat the bug that has infected several NBA players and personalities in the past months.
"I'll be fine and get through this," Ewing was reported as saying, adding he is more appreciative now of the efforts by the front-liners who are battling the lethal virus that has so far infected millions and killed tens of thousands around the world.
The 57-year-old also reminded that the health crisis is serious and called on "everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones."
According to The New York Post, a statement released by Georgetown confirmed that Ewing caught the virus and the head coach is now in isolation while undergoing treatment. It was understood as well that the former Knicks star is not in serious condition.
Also, school authorities said that so far Ewing is the only member of Georgetown's basketball program to have contracted the disease. There was no mention, however, if the case will push back the university's plan of resuming training for campus athletes that were suspended back in March when COVID-19 infections started exploding in the United States.
On June 8, Georgetown athletes are supposed to start using in-campus facilities again for practices and training but there is no word yet from school officials if adjustments will be made in light of Ewing catching the virus.
For the new generation of basketball fans, ESPN described the former Knicks big man as probably the best player that Georgetown has produced. A testament to that is that Ewing powered the Hoyas to the 1984 national championship, which in fact is the sole NCAA crown of the university.
Ewing went to become a huge star playing professional basketball. He played 15 seasons in New York and made the All-Star team 11 times. Before ending his campaign, Ewing tried winning an NBA ring with the Seattle Supersonics and Orlando Magic but his attempts ended in frustration.
Ewing's Knicks nearly made the NBA Finals in the late 1990s but the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan came in the way. And the Bulls ended up winning the league title each time they eliminated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals showdown.
