Happy birthday, Patrick Ewing! On August 5, 1962, Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Widely regarded as one of the best centers of all time, Ewing dominated the NBA throughout the '90s, earning a rep as one of the most fierce and intimidating big men in the game.
In Kingston, Ewing actually played cricket and soccer, but quickly picked up the game of basketball upon his arrival in the United States. Eventually, he wound up playing ball for Georgetown University, helping to lead the Hoyas to the NCAA championship game three out of his four years. In 1984, they won the national title and Ewing was honored as the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.
In the 1985 NBA Draft, which was the first Draft Lottery in history, the New York Knicks selected Ewing as the first overall pick. Ewing would go on to play with New York for 15 of his 17 professional years, racking up 11 NBA All-Star appearances along the way. In 1994 and 1999, Ewing led the Knicks to the NBA Finals, their first Conference Titles since 1973. During this period, New York were mainstays in the NBA postseason, and Ewing developed intense competitive rivalries with Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller.
Early in his career, Ewing wore adidas models such as the Conductor Hi. As sneaker endorsements became more commonplace in the late '80s, Ewing took the concept to an entirely new level by creating his own brand. In 1989, Ewing Athletics was launched, quickly developing into a full-on performance line complete with cross-trainers and apparel.
Ewing Athletics fizzled out in 1996, but relaunched in 2012 to a warm welcoming. Most recently, the brand has reintroduced the Ewing Focus model, worn by Patrick during the 1993 NBA Playoffs. Be sure to check out Sneaker Report's breakdown of the Focus release and head over to Ewing Athletics for a comprehensive timeline of each signature model.
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