Patrick Ewing (Getty)
Patrick Ewing is back home.
The NBA legend was hired as the head men’s basketball coach back where it all started: Georgetown University.
Ewing replaces long-tenured coach John Thompson III, who was fired by the school March 23. The 54-year-old and Chris Mullin (St. John’s University) are now the only Division I NCAA head coaches to be NBA Hall of Famers.
After his storied career at Georgetown, where he helped bring the Hoyas to three national championship games (winning one of them), Ewing played 17 seasons in the NBA. Fifteen of those seasons were for the New York Knicks.
Ever since he arrived at Georgetown, basketball and athletics in general have been a key part to his career, even after his playing days were through. Prior to landing the job at Georgetown, Ewing worked as the associate head coach of the Charlotte Hornets.
His expertise and influence in basketball stretched through his family, too. He has three children who have all been involved in athletics at some point in their career.
Here’s what you need to know about the Ewing family:
1. Ewing & His Former Wife Divorced In 1998
Ewing married Rita Williams in the early 1990s, and the two had three children together. However, Rita filed for divorce from Patrick after 7 1/2 years of marriage in February 1998, the New York Daily News reported.
The divorce filing by Rita came after rumors that Patrick had been cheating on her with a Knicks dancer surfaced, though she claimed in a statement following the divorce that she had no reason to believe the rumors to be true.
My husband, Patrick, and I…are both working toward arriving at an amicable resolution to our problems. There is no ‘significant other,’ as far as I am concerned, except, of course, my children.
At the time of their divorce, the Daily News reported that they “jointly” owned a $655,000 home in Englewood, New Jersey. Patrick’s other assets included a $1.6 million vacation home and a townhouse, both located in Maryland.
In her later years, Rita co-authored a book about the women behind the men of basketball.
The book is titled “Homecourt Advantage” and it was published in 2009. She said in an interview about her book that infidelity is considered “par for the course” when married to a celebrity or an athlete. It was published around the time professional golfer Tiger Woods was caught in a scandal.
Rita said that she was “taken aback” with the revelations about Woods, but noted it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.
I can’t speak to the world of golf, but I certainly know that in basketball, it’s an environment that’s conducive to infidelity. The mentality of the teams and the management condone infidelity.
2. His Son Played For Georgetown & In the NBA
Patrick Ewing Jr. when he played for the Georgetown Hoyas. (Getty)
The basketball ability of Ewing reflected greatly on his lone son, Patrick Ewing Jr.
He first played for Indiana University for two years (2003-2005) before transferring to play for his father’s alma mater, Georgetown. He wore his father’s famous No. 33 jersey in his two seasons with the team
After sitting out a season because of transferring, Ewing Jr. played in 36 games during the 2006-2007 season and 34 as a senior in 2007-2008.
His last year playing for the Hoyas, he averaged 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He played a big role for Georgetown off the bench and was named the Big East Conference’s Sixth Man of the Year. In addition, he was a participant in the 2008 NCAA Slam Dunk Contest.
After using up his collegiate eligibility, Ewing turned pro. He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings at No. 43 overall in 2008 NBA draft, but was then traded to the Knicks.
But he never made Knicks’ final roster, spending most of his career in the NBA D-League and in playing overseas.
3. His Daughter Randi, Played Volleyball In College
Group picture post game with Randi Ewing, Katie George and Caitlin Welch… Oh and Patrick Ewing! http://t.co/cTknalG3vu
Ewing’s daughter, Randi, was a highly recruited volleyball player.
After a big prep career, she decided to attend Fordham University, playing volleyball as a middle hitter. She is 6-feet tall and her high jumping ability made her an immediate threat behind the net. She also wore her dad’s infamous No. 33 jersey.
Randi didn’t play her freshman season in 2009, but saw a lot of court time in 2010. As a sophomore, she started 16 of 22 matches and was the Rams’ leader in blocks per set with 1.04.
Fordham coach Peter Volkert said in an interview with The New York Times in 2011 that she has the ability to succeed anytime she steps foot on the court.
She has the type of athletic talent to be the best player in the conference She’s got all the physical tools. She’s a smart girl. She’s learning the nuances of volleyball. She’s getting better all the time.
Because she redshirted as a freshman at Fordham, Randi had one more year of eligibility and used it by transferring to University of Louisville in 2012.
In 2015, it was noted that Randi is dating Montrezl Harrell and is pursuing a broadcast journalism career. Harrell plays in the NBA for the Houston Rockets.
4. His Other Daughter Went to Georgetown
Corey Ewing (Facebook)
The youngest daughter of Patrick and Rita is Corey Ewing, who also went to Georgetown.
She moved onto campus as a freshman with the help of her father, who was hard not to notice, The Hoya wrote in 2013.
Corey was just in second grade when her father retired from the NBA, and said she never enjoyed playing basketball. But that didn’t mean she didn’t participate in athletics.
At Northfield Mount Hermon School, Corey played volleyball and ran track, but didn’t pursue any extracurricular at Georgetown.
According to her Facebook page, she worked as an intern for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, a nonprofit aimed at raising awareness about adoption.
5. Ewing Is 1 of 6 Children In His Family
Michael Jordan, owner of Charlotte Hornets and Patrick Ewing wave to fans. (Getty)
Basketball was never on the horizon for Ewing when he was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He was born to Carl and Dorothy Ewing. His dad was a mechanic and his mom was a homemaker.
Instead of basketball, Ewing played cricket and soccer. His mom moved to the United States in 1971 to establish a base before the rest of her family could join her. Then in 1975, Ewing — who was 12-years old at the time — joined the rest of his family residing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ewings’ other four siblings had migrated to America before him. That’s where he first learned the play the game he would be remembered for. He became a U.S. citizen when he went to Georgetown.
Patrick is one of seven children, with five sisters (Barbara, Rosemarie, Lastina, Karlene and Pauline) and one brother (Carl Jr.).
