Charlie Ward
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Thomasville, Georgia, U.S. | October 12, 1970
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Thomas County Central (Thomasville, Georgia) |
College | Florida State (1990–1994) |
NBA draft | 1994: 1st round, 26th overall pick |
Selected by the New York Knicks | |
Playing career | 1994–2005 |
Position | Point guard |
Number | 21, 17 |
Career history | |
1994–2004 | New York Knicks |
2004 | San Antonio Spurs |
2004–2005 | Houston Rockets |
Career highlights and awards | |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 3,947 (6.3 ppg) |
Rebounds | 1,648 (2.6 rpg) |
Assists | 2,539 (4.0 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Charlie Ward Jr. (born October 12, 1970) is an American former professional
Ward played in the NBA with the New York Knicks for nine years and started in the 1999 NBA Finals. He later had short spells with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, before retiring in 2005. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
College football
No. 17 | |
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Position | Quarterback |
Personal information | |
Born: | Thomasville, Georgia, U.S. | October 12, 1970
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
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Bowl games |
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High school | Thomas County Central (Thomasville, Georgia) |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
College Football Hall of Fame (2006) |
Ward won the 1993 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and the Davey O'Brien Award as a quarterback for the Florida State University. He subsequently led the Seminoles to their first-ever national championship when FSU defeated Nebraska 27–14 in the 1993 Orange Bowl. The Seminoles had suffered their only defeat of the season to a second-ranked Notre Dame team, but their path to the national championship was cleared a week later when the Irish were upset at home by Boston College. Ward holds the fourth-largest margin of victory in the history of Heisman trophy balloting, with a 1,622-point difference, fourth only to Joe Burrow's 1,846 point win in 2019, O. J. Simpson's 1,750-point win in 1968[1] and Troy Smith's 1,662-point win in 2006. He was also the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. In 1993, Charlie Ward won the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States.
Season | Team | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
1989 | Florida State | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | -40.0 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 |
1990 | Florida State | Redshirt | |||||||||||
1991 | Florida State | 5 | 9 | 55.6 | 68 | 7.6 | 0 | 0 | 119.0 | 5 | 25 | 5.0 | 0 |
1992 | Florida State | 204 | 365 | 55.9 | 2,647 | 7.3 | 22 | 17 | 127.4 | 100 | 504 | 5.0 | 6 |
1993 | Florida State | 264 | 380 | 69.5 | 3,032 | 8.0 | 27 | 4 | 157.8 | 65 | 339 | 5.2 | 4 |
Career | 473 | 759 | 62.3 | 5,747 | 7.6 | 49 | 22 | 141.4 | 172 | 889 | 5.2 | 10 |
College basketball
Ward also played basketball for four years at
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990–91 | Florida State | 30 | — | 23.8 | .455 | .313 | .713 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 | .3 | 8.0 |
1991–92 | Florida State | 28 | 22 | 30.0 | .497 | .458 | .530 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.7 | .2 | 7.2 |
1992–93 | Florida State | 17 | 14 | 32.8 | .462 | .320 | .667 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 2.8 | .3 | 7.8 |
1993–94 | Florida State | 16 | 16 | 35.9 | .365 | .253 | .625 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 2.8 | .1 | 10.5 |
Career | 91 | 52 | 29.5 | .441 | .323 | .636 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 2.6 | .2 | 8.1 |
Professional career
Upon graduation, Ward stated he was undecided about professional basketball or football and made it clear that he would not consider playing in the NFL unless selected in the first round of the
Ward played sparingly in his rookie year under head coach Pat Riley, but the Knicks organization referred to him as "the point guard of the future." When assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy took over the head coaching position, Ward's time on the floor began to increase, becoming the primary backup for point guard Derek Harper. He became a fan favorite in New York for his hard work ethic and unselfish play. During his NBA career, Ward established himself as a good three-point shooter, a reliable ball distributor, and a respected floor leader. Ward was selected to participate in the 1998 NBA All-Star three-point competition, finishing fourth in the event. He soon helped the Knicks reach the 1999 NBA Finals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs. Ward was traded to the Phoenix Suns in February 2004 as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Stephon Marbury to the Knicks and was promptly cut by the Suns for salary purposes. Ward spent the remainder of the season with the Spurs and signed a contract with the Houston Rockets the following summer. After maintaining relatively good health over his first decade in the league, injuries caused Ward to miss most of the 2004–05 season. Because of his injuries Ward retired.
During his time with the Knicks, Ward was often called the "best quarterback in New York" due to the struggles that the New York Jets and New York Giants had at the position.[4][5] Ward was the last Knicks draft pick to sign a multiyear contract with the team after the expiration of their rookie deal for 23 years.[6]
Controversy
In Game 5 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the
In 2001, while playing for the Knicks, it was discovered that Ward had made comments about
There was outrage directed at Ward from Jewish groups, the public, as well as the Knicks organization itself. Ward defended himself by saying "I didn't mean to offend any one group because that's not what I'm about. I have friends that are Jewish. Actually, my friend is a Jewish guy, and his name is
Ward eventually apologized for those statements, with his apology being accepted by the Anti-Defamation League.[9]
Post retirement career
Coaching
Ward was an assistant coach for the NBA team, the Houston Rockets.[10]
In June 2007, Ward was hired as an assistant coach for the varsity boys basketball team by Westbury Christian School in Houston, Texas. In November 2007, he accepted the job as head coach for the varsity football team at Westbury Christian School, stating that his desire is to help prepare young minds for Christ.[10] In February 2014, it was announced that Ward accepted the head coaching position at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, Florida, where his son Caleb would be attending and playing football. As of March 8, 2018, Ward is the Ambassador of Football for Florida State University. In March 2018, Ward became the head Boys' Basketball coach for Florida State University Schools (FSUS or Florida High) in Tallahassee, Florida. The program improved since Ward's arrival.
Other
Ward hosts a web series, Chalk Talk with Charlie Ward, where he discusses his thoughts on Florida State Seminole Football.
Charlie Ward made his acting debut, playing himself on the Netflix comedy series Family Reunion in the episode "Remember M'dear's Fifteen Minutes?" in 2020. [11]
Charitable work
Off the court, Ward became known for his extensive charitable work through groups like the
Ward established The aWard Foundation to enhance the lives of young people through sports based mentoring and educational programs.[12]
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
* | Led the league |
NBA
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994–95 | New York | 10 | 0 | 4.4 | .211 | .100 | .700 | .6 | .4 | .2 | .0 | 1.6 |
1995–96 | New York | 62 | 1 | 12.7 | .399 | .333 | .685 | 1.6 | 2.1 | .9 | .1 | 3.9 |
1996–97 | New York | 79 | 21 | 22.3 | .395 | .312 | .76 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 1.1 | .2 | 5.2 |
1997–98 | New York | 82* | 82* | 28.3 | .455 | .377 | .805 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 1.8 | .5 | 7.8 |
1998–99 | New York | 50* | 50* | 31.1 | .404 | .356 | .705 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 2.1 | .2 | 7.6 |
1999–00 | New York | 72 | 69 | 27.6 | .423 | .386 | .828 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 1.3 | .2 | 7.3 |
2000–01 | New York | 61 | 33 | 24.5 | .416 | .383 | .800 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 1.1 | .2 | 7.1 |
2001–02 | New York | 63 | 0 | 16.8 | .373 | .323 | .810 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 1.1 | .2 | 5.2 |
2002–03 | New York | 66 | 6 | 22.2 | .399 | .378 | .774 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 1.2 | .2 | 7.2 |
2003–04 | New York | 35 | 10 | 23.6 | .442 | .428 | .762 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 1.3 | .2 | 8.7 |
2003–04 | San Antonio | 36 | 0 | 11.8 | .346 | .368 | .667 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .5 | .1 | 3.3 |
2004–05 | Houston | 14 | 13 | 25.7 | .312 | .314 | .846 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 1.1 | .0 | 5.4 |
Career | 630 | 285 | 22.3 | .408 | .364 | .771 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 6.3 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996
|
New York | 7 | 0 | 13.1 | .481 | .250 | .429 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 1.6 | .0 | 4.6 |
1997
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New York | 9 | 0 | 20.2 | .296 | .111 | .750 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 1.4 | .0 | 2.2 |
1998
|
New York | 10 | 10 | 26.1 | .418 | .429 | .688 | 2.8 | 6.0 | 2.0 | .2 | 6.6 |
1999
|
New York | 20 | 20 | 24.7 | .366 | .321 | .750 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 1.8 | .2 | 4.6 |
2000
|
New York | 16 | 16 | 27.4 | .504 | .396 | .714 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 1.4 | .3 | 9.4 |
2001
|
New York | 5 | 0 | 17.2 | .296 | .250 | 1.000 | 1.4 | 1.4 | .4 | .0 | 5.0 |
2004
|
San Antonio | 5 | 0 | 2.6 | .667 | 1.000 | – | .0 | .2 | .4 | .0 | 2.2 |
Career | 72 | 46 | 21.8 | .422 | .349 | .710 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 1.5' | .1 | 5.5 |
Personal life
Ward and his wife Tonja have three children: Caleb, Hope, and Joshua.[13][14]
In June 2018, while on a church mission trip to
Ward is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.[16]
References
- ^ "Margins: The Most, The Least". heisman.com. Heisman Trophy. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Charlie Still Ward-ing Off NFL Talk". New York Daily News. December 10, 1995.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Charlie Ward". Sports Illustrated / CNN. May 30, 1994.
- ^ "Ward's playoff-high lifts Knicks to win". Deseret News. Associated Press. May 15, 2000. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016.
- ^ Bruton, Mike (December 11, 1994). "Was Color A Consideration When The Nfl Snubbed Ward? 'All I Know Is, They Didn't Give Me An Opportunity And The NBA Did,' Last Year's Heisman Winner Said". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ^ "Knicks' Mitchell Robinson Deal Breaks 23-Year Draft Pick 'Curse'". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ a b "jamming jews". trincoll.edu. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Ward Refers Writers to Bible". The New York Times. 22 April 2001.
- ^ "ADL Accepts Apology of New York Knicks Player Charlie Ward; Stresses Importance of Education". ADL.org (Press release). Archived from the original on 2006-04-21.
- ^ a b "Rockets' assistant coach Ward named high school assistant coach". ESPN.go.com. ESPN. June 14, 2007.
- ^ "'Family Reunion' Remember M'dear's Fifteen Minutes? (TV Episode 2020)". IMDb.com.
- NBA.com. Archived from the originalon 2012-11-10.
- ^ Kutz, Jerry. "Ward alive and well in Houston, Helping shape boys to men". FSU.edu. Florida State University. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ Gordon, Lee. "FSU QBs: Where Are They Now?". Tallahassee Magazine. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "Episode 069 – Retired NBA Star Charlie Ward Shares his Stroke and Lifestyle". Strokecast. 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ^ "Famous Omega Men". omegapsiphifraternity.org. Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Inc. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
External links
- Charlie Ward at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Charlie Ward at Heisman.com