Sports Nicknames - Big Pat, Hoya Destroya

Patrick Ewing was a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court while playing for Georgetown University and the New York Knicks.



Patrick Ewing was one of the best basketball centers of all time. He was a defensive powerhouse and posessed a wide array of moves on offense. He was one of the first big men that was able to score from mid range. He could dunk on anybody and his special move was the fadeaway turnaround jumper.

During his college years Ewing took Georgetown Hoyas to three NCAA championship games, winning the title in 1984. This is where he earned the nickname "Hoya Destroya".

In 1985, Ewing was drafted as the number one pick by the New York Knicks and he spent the next fifteen years carrying the team and the city of New York on his back. "Big Pat" is how the fans affectionately called him. Ewing was, perhaps, among the greatest players never to win the NBA championship. It was tough competition in those days, with Michael Jordan overshadowing everyone else.

Patrick Ewing was part of the 1992 Dream Team that won the Olympic gold. His number 33 was retired by the Knicks after he stopped playing.

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