Butch Beard facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 4, 1947 Hardinsburg, Kentucky, U.S. |
| High school | Breckinridge County (Harned, Kentucky) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Louisville (1966–1969) |
| NBA Draft | 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 1969–1979 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1969–1970 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1971–1972 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1972–1973 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1973–1975 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1975 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1975–1979 | New York Knicks |
| As coach: | |
| 1990–1994 | Howard |
| 1994–1996 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2001–2006 | Morgan State |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 5,622 (9.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,042 (3.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,189 (3.6 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Alfred "Butch" Beard Jr. (born May 5, 1947) is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He was a key player, the starting point guard, for the Golden State Warriors team that won the NBA championship in 1975.
Contents
Butch Beard's Basketball Journey
Early Days in High School
Butch Beard played high school basketball at Breckinridge County High School in Kentucky. When he was a junior, he led his team, the Bearcats, to the state championship game in 1964. They played against a strong team led by Wes Unseld from Louisville Seneca and lost. Interestingly, Butch Beard and Wes Unseld later became roommates when they went to the University of Louisville.
In 1965, Butch Beard led the Bearcats back to the state championship game. This time, they won the title! Because of his amazing skills, he was also named Kentucky Mr. Basketball, an award for the best high school player in Kentucky.
College Basketball Career
After high school, Butch Beard continued his basketball journey at the University of Louisville. He played for the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team from 1966 to 1969.
Playing in the NBA
Butch Beard was a highly sought-after player. In 1969, he was chosen by two different professional basketball leagues:
- The Dallas Chaparrals picked him in the 1969 ABA draft.
- The Atlanta Hawks picked him in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft.
Butch Beard decided to play in the NBA. He played for nine seasons, from 1969 to 1970 and then from 1971 to 1979. During his NBA career, he played for five different teams:
- The Atlanta Hawks
- The Cleveland Cavaliers
- The Seattle SuperSonics
- The Golden State Warriors
- The New York Knicks
He scored a total of 5,622 points during his career. In 1972, he was chosen to play in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game while he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
One of his biggest achievements was winning the NBA Championship in 1975 with the Golden State Warriors. In that championship win, he scored the last seven points for his team! Butch Beard stopped playing in the NBA in 1979, with the New York Knicks being his last team.
Life as a Coach
After his playing career, Butch Beard became a basketball coach. He was the head coach for the New Jersey Nets from 1994 to 1996.
Before coaching the Nets, he also coached college teams:
- He was the head coach at Howard University from 1990 to 1994.
- He also coached at Morgan State University until 2006.
Besides coaching, Butch Beard also worked as a TV announcer. He was a color analyst for New York Knicks games on MSG Network during the 1980s. This meant he helped explain the game to viewers during broadcasts.
