Which former Knick was a Heisman Trophy winner?

Charlie Ward was the former New York Knicks player who won the Heisman Trophy. He received college football’s top individual honor in 1993 as the quarterback of Florida State, leading the Seminoles to an undefeated season and a national championship.

Ward’s athletic career took an unusual path. Although he was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA draft, he did not play professional football. Instead, he pursued basketball and spent nine seasons with New York, becoming a respected guard and starting in the 1999 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

A common mix-up is assuming every Heisman winner played in the NFL. Ward is notable precisely because he chose basketball and became the only Heisman Trophy winner to play in the NBA. His decision also meant he was not selected in the NFL draft, despite being a highly accomplished college quarterback.

Ward later moved into coaching, including college basketball roles, adding another chapter to a career that began with one of the rarest combinations in major American sports: Heisman winner and NBA player.