Coronavirus: NBA legend Patrick Ewing confirms he is in hospital after testing positive

The former Dream Team player is currently head of men's basketball at Georgetown University

Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing. AP Photo

NBA legend Patrick Ewing has confirmed that he has been hospitalised with the coronavirus.

The 57-year-old former New York Knicks player said on Twitter that he tested positive and issued a statement via Georgetown University, for whom he is head men's basketball coach.

"I want to share that I have tested positive for Covid-19," he said. "This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones."

He added his appreciation for the healthcare workers on the front lines and insisted he will "be fine".

Georgetown said Ewing is isolated at a local hospital and is the only member of the men's basketball programme to test positive.

Ewing had a 17-year career in the NBA from 1985 to 2002, spending most of the period at the Knicks. He won Olympic gold medals with the USA team in 1984 - and 1992 when the squad was nicknamed the "Dream Team" and regarded by some as the greatest sports team ever.

He has featured regularly in recent weeks in the Netflix smash-hit documentary The Last Dance, which focuses on the career of Michael Jordan and his career with the Chicago Bulls.

The NBA season was suspended on March 11 due to the pandemic. There is no indication when it restart as of yet.

The US has been hit hard by the pandemic with more than 1.6 million cases and almost 100,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

_______________

Coronavirus around the world