Charlie Ward is one of the most unique and underappreciated athletes in modern American sports history.
There have been 90 Heisman Trophy winners, but only one played in the NBA.
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Ward ran point for the Knicks for a decadeCredit: Getty
He’s one of only three Heisman winners to ever play professionally in another Big Four league — alongside Bo Jackson and Vic Janowicz, who both played Major League Baseball.
Ward was the quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles in 1993, when he led them to their first-ever national championship with an 18–16 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl.
In 1993, the college football world belonged to Ward. He passed for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns with only four interceptions, while also rushing for 339 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
He was the heartbeat of Bobby Bowden’s offense and the undisputed best player in the nation.
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Ward was a star on the football field, but he made his professional career on the hardwood. There have been plenty of two-sport athletes before, but none like the extraordinary talent that emerged from Tallahassee.
While NFL scouts were skeptical about whether Ward’s game would translate to the NFL level, NBA scouts were all over him.
Ward made it known that if he wasn’t drafted in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft then he would pursue his basketball career instead.
Because of his uncertainty regarding his potential NBA career and concerns about his size, Ward was not selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
What was the NFL’s loss was the NBA’s gain.
The New York Knicks drafted Ward with the 26th overall pick in the 1994 draft instead, and the rest was history. He became a cornerstone of some of the most iconic, hard-nosed teams in franchise history.
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Ward led FSU to the first claimed national championship in the program’s historyCredit: Getty
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Ward is entering his first season as head coach at Florida A&MCredit: Getty
For 10 seasons, Ward starred for the Knicks, including helping them reach the 1999 Finals as the eighth seed. The Knicks fell to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
The Knicks made the playoffs six times during Ward’s ten seasons with the team, but never got closer to a championship than in 1999.
After the Knicks, Ward briefly played for the Spurs and Rockets.
He officially retired from the NBA in 2005. Since then, Ward has taken up coaching at the professional, collegiate, and high school levels.
In April 2025, Ward became the head coach at Florida A&M.
NBA’s Greatest
Beyond his accomplishments on the field and court, Ward became widely respected for his extensive charitable work and community involvement.
He dedicated much of his post-playing career to giving back — mentoring youth, supporting educational initiatives, and using his platform to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
Whether through coaching, speaking engagements, or philanthropy, Ward consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to service and leadership off the court. He has impacted countless lives.
In Tallahassee, he’s a legend. In New York, he’s remembered with respect. There has never been another Charlie Ward, and there likely won’t ever be one again.
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