Patrick Ewing Almost Went to UNC Before the Ku Klux Klan Scared Him Away

He was very close to becoming a Tar Heel.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Did you know that Patrick Ewing was thisclose to going to the University of North Carolina to play college ball before ultimately deciding to attend Georgetown? He made an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show earlier today and told a great story about how he almost became a Tar Heel. In fact, he very well may have landed on Tobacco Road, if not for the Ku Klux Klan.

"I was close," he said. "North Carolina was a very good school, but you know, when I went down there they put me in that Carolina Inn and there was a big Ku Klux Klan rally in North Carolina when I was there. And I was like, you know, I'm not coming down here."

The rest is history. But just think. If Ewing had attended UNC, he would have played alongside Michael Jordan. That would have been crazy.

Listen to Ewing talk more about why he decided against Carolina in the clip above.

RELATED: Where Are They Now? The NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Players of the '80s and '90s

[via The Big Lead]

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