As Ballislife explores the dynamic connection between basketball and football in this multipart series, it would be a true disservice not to discuss the one player who was a legitimate star in both sports at the collegiate level. In fact, he’s a college football legend who chose the roundball for his pro career.
Florida State’s Charlie Ward eventually chose the NBA in favor of the NFL, but there’s little doubt that the two-sport star could have succeeded on Sundays if that’s where his career ended up taking him.
Ward’s Two-Way Talents
Ward was an all-time great collegiate quarterback during his time at Florida State, while at the same time doubling as an elite point guard for the Seminoles’ basketball team. He helped FSU reach the Sweet 16 in 1992, the Elite Eight in the spring of 1993, and then threw for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions en route to a Heisman Trophy and national championship on the football field in the fall of 1993 (and early winter 1994).
Ward was a unique athlete and had the makings of a successful NFL quarterback. At close to 6’2, there weren’t a lot of questions about his height, but there were reservations about his weight and overall size, plus the fact he had leverage as a legitimate NBA prospect. However, Ward insisted he would play in the NBA if he wasn’t a first-round draft pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, and as a result, he wasn’t chosen at all.
Ward’s Pro Career
At that time, it was quite a shock Ward wasn’t selected and he does have a case in being one of the most talented college football players to never play a down in the NFL. Teams inquired about signing him after the draft passed, but he decided to stick with basketball. Two months after he was passed over in the NFL Draft, the New York Knicks selected Ward with the 26th overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft.
The former Thomas County Central (Thomasville, Ga.) Grid-Hoop standout went on to play nine seasons in the NBA, but you can’t help but wonder what could have been in the NFL since he is the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. He was a solid NBA player, but he had the potential to be a star in the NFL if he dedicated his time to honing his craft. One could also wonder how good he could have been as a quarterback if he hadn’t spent a great deal of his offseason playing for Pat Kennedy’s FSU basketball program.
