The reaction to former Heisman Trophy winner and NBA point guard Charlie Ward being named the new men’s basketball coach at Florida A&M has been met with universal praise.
Ward, who won the 1993 Heisman Trophy and played 11 seasons in the NBA, will replace Patrick Crarey II, who Grambling State hired after one year in Tallahassee.
Ward’s former Knicks coach, Jeff Van Gundy, had the highest compliments for the move by Florida A&M.
“I think this is a stroke of genius by FAMU,” Van Gundy, now an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, said in a statement to ESPN senior reporter Pete Thamel. “I think players and parents who choose to send their young man there are going to be absolutely thrilled. “He’s going to coach basketball very well. He’s going to teach decision-making and invest in who they become. His wife and kids are phenomenal. They have a hell of a family coming in to lead that program.”
Even though Ward did not attend Florida A&M, the connection to Tallahassee and FAMU is strong.
Ward’s father, Charlie Ward Sr., played for Florida A&M and legendary coach Jake Gaither as a student-athlete.
Charlie Ward has been active in the area for years through various foundations and community initiatives, supporting local youths through sports, wellness, and educational pursuits.
