He may not have been able to take the Knicks to the promised land but Patrick Ewing will always be a beloved figure in New York.
The #1 draft pick in 1985, Ewing was a force at Georgetown and it didn’t take him long to find his place in the NBA, even with injuries. From the get-go, Knicks fans had no doubt that he was the big man who was going to bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to the city.
Many thought he was going to be a lifelong-Knick, never imaging him in colors other than blue and orange. He was popular enough that he had his own signature line after leaving adidas. He is still the only NBA player to have his own successful sneaker company.
During late 1993 and into 1994 season, he would wear the hightop Ewing Domain Hi, a model that showcased his #33 on the side. And those were the sneakers he was wearing the night of December 16, 1993. After only 8 years in the league, he would score his 14,618th point on a jumper during the second quarter of a home game against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. The score made him the New York Knicks’ all-time leading scorer, surpassing the great Walt Frazier.
Ewing would continue to add to that record, along with taking over many Knicks records over six more seasons in New York. We won’t talk about his short stints in Seattle and Orlando and just remember his amazing years in the Big Apple.
His play and his sneakers will always be a part of Madison Square Garden history. And don’t expect his all-time leading scorer title to be broken anytime soon. Now if only we could get a Knicks player to wear some Ewing retros on-court…
[…] Patrick Ewing bet on himself and his fans… and won. If you want more on Patrick Ewing then click here to read an older story of ours. Have you ever owned a pair of Ewing Athletics footwear? What are […]