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Florida State basketball: 10 best NBA careers in Seminoles history

By Josh Yourish

Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Scottie Barnes (4) passes the ball around Colorado Buffaloes guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (11) in the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Scottie Barnes (4) passes the ball around Colorado Buffaloes guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (11) in the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 9, 1993; Tallahassee, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Charlie Ward (17) runs with the ball against Miami at Doak Campbell Stadium. FSU defeated Miami 28-10 Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 1993; Tallahassee, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Charlie Ward (17) runs with the ball against Miami at Doak Campbell Stadium. FSU defeated Miami 28-10 Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports /

No. 6 best Florida State basketball NBA career: Charlie Ward

Despite winning the 1992 Heisman trophy and leading the Seminoles to a national championship on the football field, Ward chose the NBA over the NFL. He was also the Florida State point guard and was selected 26th overall in the 1994 NBA draft.

Ward proceeded to have a steady if unremarkable, 11-year NBA career. He played 10 seasons with the New York Knicks who drafted him in ‘94. His best year was 1997-98 when he started all 82 games and averaged 7.8 points and 5.7 assists.

He played in 72 career playoff games on top of 630 regular season games. He even had 11 points and eight assists in Game 4 of the 1999 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Ward had a remarkable career and is one of the most impressive two-sport athletes of all time, but you have to wonder if his NFL career, which never happened, would have been even better. He is the only Heisman trophy winner of the Super Bowl era to never play in the NFL.

Despite all his success on the football field, Ward is just off the list of Florida State’s all-time leading passers. 

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