Georgetown men's basketball coach and Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing announced Friday that he was admitted to a Washington, D.C.-area hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The New York Knicks legend, who won a national championship as a player at Georgetown in 1984, expressed a positive outlook both for himself and for society in general.

"I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19. This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly," Ewing tweeted. "I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Now more than ever, I want to thank the healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I'll be fine and we will all get through this."

No one else associated with the Hoyas team has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced.

Ewing, 57, took over as head coach at his alma mater in April 2017 following 15 seasons as an NBA assistant coach. He has a 49-46 record with the Hoyas over the past three seasons, with the team going 15-17 in 2019-20. In the first round of the Big East Conference tournament in March, eighth-seeded Georgetown lost 75-62 to ninth-seeded St. John's before the event was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ewing was the Naismith Player of the Year in 1985 with the Hoyas and was a three-time first-team All-America selection. Over 15 NBA seasons with the New York Knicks, and one year apiece with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic, he averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Ewing was an NBA All-Star in 11 of his first 12 seasons, all with the Knicks.

A member of the United States' gold-medal winning Olympic teams in 1984 and 1992, Ewing was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.