Did Patrick Ewing win an NCAA Championship title? Taking a look at the Knicks legend's college career
NBA legend Patrick Ewing's college hoops days are long behind him, but that doesn't mean it was a forgettable one.
In truth, his name in college inspired far more fear than Michael Jordan's did. As a former tower of power for the Georgetown Hoyas, Ewing was a generational big man who dominated the NCAA hardwood and had an equally illustrous career in the NBA.
Here`s a quick look at the college basketball career of New York Knicks and Georgetown legend Patrick Ewing.
How many NCAA championships has Patrick Ewing won?
Patrick Ewing won one national championship with the Hoyas. He was part of the title-winning squad in 1984, coached by the legendary John Thompson. Georgetown beat runners-up Houston 84-75 in the title game, with the seven-foot Ewing being named that year's NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
That year, the Hoyas made their third title game and won their first national championship after their failure to win in 1982. That was the time when a freshman Michael Jordan hit his now-iconic game-winning shot in the final moments to beat Georgetown.
As a junior, Ewing led Georgetown to the title game after beating Kentucky and their "Twin Towers" of Sam Bowie and Mel Turpin. That game was bannered by the Hoyas' defensive effort in the second half, literally holding Kentucky scoreless in the first 9:55, forcing them to miss 12 shots in a row right out of the break.
Patrick Ewing college basketball stats
Patrick Ewing`s numbers do not exactly jump out, especially for someone of his caliber as a basketball player. In four years at Georgetown, he averaged 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and a massive 3.4 blocks per game (via Sports-Reference).
Overall, the New York Knicks legend had his best season under Thompson during his sophomore year stats-wise. He had 17.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks to go with 1.5 steals a game. Still, it wasn`t enough, as Georgetown was bounced out in the second round of the 82-83 NCAA Tournament by Memphis State.
His scoring and rebounding were excellent, but it paled in comparison to his rim protection. His all-around effort on both the offensive and defensive end made him one of the greatest collegiate basketball players of all time (via NCAA). Of course, it paved his way to being selected as the top overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft.