Charles Minlend facts for kids

Charles Arnaud Minlend (born May 15, 1973) is a former professional basketball player from Cameroon and Canada. He was a tall forward, standing 6 feet 6 inches. Charles played college basketball at St. John's University for five seasons, taking one year off due to injury.

After college, Charles was not chosen in the 1997 NBA draft. He then started his professional career in France. Later, he played in Israel for three seasons. There, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2003 for the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He was also the top scorer that year, averaging 25.3 points per game. After Israel, he moved to South Korea and played for four seasons. He won another scoring title there in 2004. Charles Minlend retired from basketball in 2008 after playing one season in Ukraine.

High School Basketball Journey

Charles Minlend lived in West Germany and Canada when he was younger. For his last year of high school, he moved to the United States. He attended St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Connecticut. During that year, he was a star player. He averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds in each game.

College Basketball Career

Many colleges were interested in Charles Minlend, including Boston College and UConn. But he chose to play for St. John's University. They had been trying to recruit him since 1991. While at St. John's, Charles decided to study pharmacy.

Freshman Year at St. John's

In his first year (freshman year), Charles played 30 games. He averaged 7.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He was the fifth-highest scorer on the team. He also ranked third in blocks per game. Charles even played in the 1993 NCAA tournament. He scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in one game.

Sophomore and Junior Seasons

In his second year (sophomore season), Charles became a more important player. He was the second-highest scorer on the team, averaging 13.6 points per game. He also averaged 7.8 rebounds. His total points and rebounds for that season were the highest on the team. For his third year (junior season), Charles was named a team captain. He led the team in rebounds, averaging 8.5 per game.

Senior Year and College Achievements

Charles missed the 1995–96 season because of a hamstring injury. This is called a medical redshirt year. For his final year (senior season) in 1996–97, Charles was the only team captain. He was the third-highest scorer, averaging 14.1 points per game. He also led the team in three-point shots made.

Charles finished his college career with 1,349 total points. This placed him 22nd all-time at St. John's as of 2018. He also had 784 total rebounds, which was 10th all-time. He graduated from St. John's with honors.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Basketball Journey

After college, Charles Minlend was eligible for the 1997 NBA draft but was not selected. He was later picked by the Long Island Surf in a different draft. Charles then moved to Europe to start his professional career.

Playing in France

In 1998, Charles played for Poissy-Chatou in LNB Pro B, which is the second-highest basketball league in France. Later that season, he joined ASVEL Basket in LNB Pro A, the top French league. He played 6 games there, averaging 9.3 points per game. For the 1999–2000 season, he signed with Montpellier Paillade Basket. In 25 games, he averaged an impressive 19.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Success in Israel

In 2000, Charles moved to Israel and joined Maccabi Givat Shmuel. This team played in the top Israeli basketball league. In his first season, he averaged 23.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The next season, he continued to play well, averaging 22.6 points and 8.4 rebounds. He was chosen for the Israeli Basketball Premier League Quintet (a team of the best players) for the first time.

The 2002–03 season was a highlight for Charles. He led the Israeli league in scoring, with 25.3 points per game. He also averaged 7.8 rebounds and 3 assists. At the end of this great season, he was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was also chosen for the League Quintet for the second year in a row.

Playing in South Korea

In 2003, Charles left Israel and moved to South Korea. He signed with Jeonju KCC Egis. In his first season in the Korean Basketball League, he led the entire league in scoring. He averaged 27.1 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds. He was also selected as an All-Star.

In the next season, he continued his strong performance, averaging 26.3 points and 11.5 rebounds. He was again named to the All-Star team. In his final season with KCC, he played 53 games. He averaged a career-high 28.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. This earned him his third All-Star selection. In 2006, he moved to another KBL team, Changwon LG Sakers. There, he averaged 28.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Retirement in Ukraine

Charles Minlend retired from basketball in 2008. His last games were with the Cherkaski Mavpy team in the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague.

Career Statistics Overview

Domestic Leagues Performance

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1998–99	ASVEL Basket	LNB Pro A	6	15.2	.553	.356	.600	3.3	0.2	0.5	0.0	9.3
1999–00	Montpellier Paillade		25	37.1	.470	.350	.614	6.8	2.0	1.2	0.1	19.6
2000–01	Maccabi Givat Shmuel	Ligat HaAl	26		.428	.244	.753	7.5	1.2	1.0		23.2
2001–02			27	36.0	.446	.306	.743	8.4	2.4	1.0		22.6
2002–03			27	36.2	.478	.364	.776	7.8	3.0	1.5	0.5	25.3
2003–04	Jeonju KCC Egis	KBL	54	35.1	.551	.346	.793	11.3	2.2	1.6	0.6	27.1
2004–05			52	36.4	.532	.306	.654	11.5	2.9	1.8	1.1	26.3
2005–06			52	35.3	.518	.399	.755	9.8	2.9	1.6	0.8	28.6
2006–07	Changwon LG Sakers		53	35.4	.482	.375	.753	8.8	2.3	1.9	0.4	28.6
2007–08	Cherkaski Mavpy	USL	4	25.0	.419	.250	.750	5.8	0.8	0.5	0.3	13.0

Charles Minlend's Family Life

Charles Minlend was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. His father, Joseph, was an economist, and his mother, Anne-Marie, was a secretary. As a child, he lived in West Germany for three years. Then, he moved to Montreal, Canada, to live with his relatives.

Charles is married to Tracey. They have three sons: Charles Jr., Jordan, and James. They also have one daughter named Ashley. His son, Charles Alexander Minlend, Jr., born in 1997, also played college basketball. He played for the University of Louisville and the University of San Francisco. Charles's brother, Raymond, also played college basketball.