Patrick Ewing, the Hall of Fame center whose name remains synonymous with March Madness, recently appeared in an AT&T advertisement set to air throughout the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The ad serves as a poignant reminder of a collegiate career defined by both triumph and heartbreak, particularly his pivotal role in Georgetown’s championship run and the iconic duel with Michael Jordan in the 1982 final.
Ewing’s collegiate career culminated in a national championship victory in 1984, leading the Georgetown Hoyas to a win over Houston and its star center, Hakeem Olajuwon. However, that victory was forged amidst profound personal and collective grief. The Hoyas navigated a season marked by the loss of Ewing’s mother, as well as the mothers of two of his teammates, and Georgetown head coach John Thompson’s mother. “We had so [much] adversity that it was so great to achieve it, even with all those things going on,” Ewing told NBC News.
The 1982 championship game against North Carolina remains a particularly sharp memory for Ewing. The game, decided by a last-second jump shot from a young Michael Jordan, saw the Tar Heels defeat Georgetown 63-62. Ewing recalled the sting of that defeat, describing it as “rough.” The game, played before 61,612 spectators at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, was televised nationally on CBS and attracted over 17 million viewers. James Worthy was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Two years later, Georgetown again reached the championship game, only to suffer a stunning upset loss to Villanova. Ewing described that defeat as “still hard to even talk about.” Villanova’s improbable victory, fueled by exceptional shooting, remains one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history.
The rivalry between Ewing and Jordan extended beyond their collegiate encounter. In the NBA, Jordan’s teams consistently bested Ewing’s New York Knicks, holding a 62-25 overall record against them. Jordan defeated Ewing 19-8 in playoff matchups, with the Knicks never eliminating a Michael Jordan-led Bulls team. Following a loss to the Houston Rockets in the 1994 NBA Finals, a game where Olajuwon led his team to victory, Olajuwon reportedly told Ewing they were “even now,” a moment Ewing recalled with a laugh.
Despite the NBA playoff dominance, Ewing maintained that Jordan was not his most challenging opponent, attributing this to the difference in their positions. He noted that his preparation for facing fellow sizeable men differed significantly from preparing to guard Jordan. “You talk about Jordan, he didn’t play in my position,” Ewing recently stated.
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