The New York Knicks is arguably the most glamorous franchise in the NBA. With The Mecca as their home court and Spike Lee at the sideline, how can they not be?
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New York being New York provided the franchise and the players with various distractions too. Their star-studded status had to be celebrated and celebrated in New York style indeed.
Knicks stars were often A-list guests at clubs and party centers in the city. The bigger the star, the glitzier the event, in all likelihood.
And arguably the greatest star to have dedicated his career to this storied franchise is Patrick Ewing. Big Pat was the franchise centerpiece of the Knicks for well over a decade. Although silverware evaded them, the Knicks of the 90s were one of the most respected teams in the league.
And Ewing found himself in the center of the limelight on various occasions. One of them included the Gold Club and a couple of “under-the-table” favors he received during visits to the club.
What did Ewing testify regarding the activities at the Gold Club on his visits?
The Gold Club was a high-end club in New York that gathered attention in the late 90s for all the wrong reasons. Club owner Steve Kaplan was indicted on a full array of federal racketeering charges and prostitution was one of the allegations placed against him.
Patrick Ewing was one of the customers who had received the services of the prostitution service at the club. Ewing testified during the Gold Club Trial and revealed details of his experience there.
“The girls danced, then they started fondling me. I got aroused, they performed oral s*x, then they hung around a little and then left” recalled Ewing of the activities at the club.
Ewing revealed to have received such sexual favors on two occasions, in 1996 and 1997 or 1998. The former Knicks star’s revelation would definitely have been key to any investigation during the trial.
Patrick Ewing definitely lived a superstar’s life in New York. One might even say his loyalty to the city was well-rewarded.
What was Patrick Ewing’s career with the New York Knicks like?
The Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing with the #1 pick in the 1985 draft. The franchise hoped to land its pillar for years to come and got exactly that with their first pick from the class of ’85.
Ewing spent 15 years in New York and was an All-Star on 11 different occasions. The big man even led them to the NBA Finals in 1994. The Knicks star averaged more than 20 points a game in all but two seasons during his time in New York.
Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon and their Bulls and Rockets came as roadblocks along the way, however. As a result, Ewing and the Knicks ended their tenure together, ringless. One of the greatest players ever to not win a ring, Ewing’s legacy at New York Knicks missed the icing on the cake.
