A digital history: 30 years ago the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing No. 1
The NBA has changed a lot since Patrick Ewing was drafted but the Knicks' big man maintains an important legacy in the Big Apple.
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
It's been 30 years since the fate of one of the NBA's most famous franchises, the New York Knicks, made a choice that would forever alter their franchise in selecting a 7-foot Jamaican-American center from Georgetown University, Patrick Ewing.
Ewing's arrival would usher in one of the greatest eras in Knicks basketball. Granted, that's like talking about a Carly Rae Jepsen Greatest Hits collection, there's not a lot to work with, but it remains a huge moment in NBA history.
Ewing's arrival in 1985 was preceded by the first-ever NBA draft lottery, which back then was conducted using envelopes pulled from a tumbler, and which spawned the first NBA Draft lottery conspiracy theory.
This is not some minor deal, it's one of the most joked about and yet in many circles seriously discussed conspiracies in sports history. It combines everything you want out of a conspiracy. Huge ramifications for a major market that has recorded evidence to be scrutinized and hyper-analyzed.
So the Knicks wind up with the No.1 selection and in 1985, there was really no question who to take. It was Ewing, the entire way.
Really classy, understated suit by Ewing. Also, that was the last moment Knicks fans ever cheered for their draft pick.
His sweeping hook was pure doom, and Ewing could create transition buckets with his superb defense, which is always forgotten when people talk about how good he was. A true two-way center.
Ewing would lead the Knicks to a return to the Finals in nearly two decades after getting past the hated Pacers.
Ewing's career has been overlooked, but you really have to see how dominant he was to appreciate the combination of his style, grace, and power. Ewing often gets lost looking back because of the exploits of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and of course Michael Jordan, but Ewing was a monster in his own right.
It's no wonder that the Knicks retired Ewing's number.
Ewing of course entered the Hall of Fame.
Ewing was part of a bygone era, an era of truly legendary centers. Ewing falls by the wayside when people talk about Olajuwon, Robinson, Shaq, and the like, but Ewing was a cultural phenomenon, and for as much misery as the Knicks have known, he stands out as part of a joyous era in Knicks basketball, even if the title never arrived.
