Legendary Center Named Knicks Olympic Goat

New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing enjoyed success in two Olympic runs with Team USA.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 1, 2024

May 18, 1997; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing (33) reacts on the court against the Miami Heat during the the first round of the 1997 NBA Playoffs at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

With the Paris Olympics in full swing, the New York Knicks don't currently have a player competing on the roster. However, that is a change from the past and many Knicks have taken part in the world's biggest stage for athletics.

NBA players weren't allowed to play until 1992 when the Dream Team was formed. The Dream Team took home gold at Barcelona, starting a trend for the United States to win all but one gold medal since.

Knicks icon Patrick Ewing was part of that 1992 squad and also won gold as an amateur in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, making him the certified Knicks Olympics GOAT by Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey.

"Patrick Ewing competed in both the pre-professionals Olympics in 1984 and in the 1992 games as a member of the Dream Team," Bailey writes. "And on both teams, Ewing was Team USA's most productive true center. Over the course of both tournaments, he averaged 10.3 points and 5.4 rebounds, while shooting 62.3 percent from the field. And of course, both of those runs ended with gold medals for the Americans."

Ewing's biggest accomplishments in his career have included those gold medals since he was unable to capture an NCAA or NBA championship despite coming up close on both levels.

Ewing was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Knicks out of Georgetown and he played 15 years with the team until 2000 when he was traded in a four-team deal to the Seattle SuperSonics. During his time with the Knicks, they made the playoffs every year from 1988-2000, serving as a mainstay for a fruitful part of franchise history.

While the Knicks never won the championship with Ewing as the face of the franchise, he is still regarded as one of the best players in the team's history, and his Olympic achievements are part of his story and success.

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Published Aug 1, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.