PHOENIX, AZ – JANUARY 06: Associate coach Patrick Ewing of the Charlotte Hornets watches from the bench during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 6, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Hornets 111-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Patrick Ewing announced on Friday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Hall of Fame basketball player and current head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball team wrote on Twitter, “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. Now more than ever, I want to thank the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I’ll be fine and we will all get through this.”

A statement from Georgetown athletics was included in the tweet, and said that Ewing “is under care and isolated at a local hospital.”

Ewing, 57, has been the head coach at Georgetown since 2017, after starring as a player for the Hoyas in the ’80s (1984 national champion, 1984 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 1985 National Player of the Year, and three-time All-American).

The seven-footer was drafted by the New York Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1985 NBA Draft, and went on to be an 11-time All-Star with the Knicks. He averaged 21.0 points and 9.8 rebounds over his 17-year NBA career, and was a member of the USA “Dream Team” in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

UPDATE: Patrick Ewing Jr. tweeted on Monday that his dad has been released from the hospital and is “getting better.”

https://twitter.com/pewingjr6/status/1264957387145916423

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

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