Charles Hardnett
Encyclopedia
Charles "Charlie Red" Hardnett (born September 13, 1938) is a former NBA basketball
player. The 6' 8" power-forward played for Carver High School
Atlanta, GA. He played college basketball
for Grambling State University
from 1959 to 1963. Hardnett earned All-America honors in 1962. He was also the NAIA Basketball Tournament MVP in 1961. Hardnett was drafted in the 3rd round (3rd pick) of the 1962 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He played for the Chicago Zephyrs (NBA) in the 1962-63 season and the Baltimore Bullets
from 1963 to 1965. Hardnett also coached at the college level. He coached at Coppin State College (Baltimore) from 1970 to 1974, and at Morris Brown College
(Atlanta) from 1974 to 1980.
in Atlanta, GA from 1955 to 1958. While in High School, Hardnett played 3 sports including basketball
, football
, and baseball
. He earned several honors as an athlete and student while at Carver, and was the only male athlete to attend and graduate college in his graduating class. His accomplishments as a high school student-athlete are as follows:
. During his years at Grambling, Hardnett amassed the following honors:
1958 - 1959
1959 - 1960
1960 - 1961
1961 - 62
Hardnett scored over 2,000 points in his career at Grambling and grabbed over 2,000 rebounds (16.9 RPG—First All-Time at Grambling). In addition, Hardnett was drafted by the NBA and became the First African-American drafted by the NBA from the state of Georgia, the second Player drafted by the NBA from Grambling, and only the third African-American drafted by the NBA from an HBCU in the state of Louisiana. In 1973, Hardnett was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame as an athlete.
2009
The inaugural induction class includes Willis Reed
(Basketball), Tommy Agee (Baseball), Ernie Ladd
(Football/Wrestling), Henry Dyer
(Football), Ralph Garr
(Baseball), Charlie Hardnett (Basketball), Robert Hopkins
(Basketball), Lane Howell
(Football), Stone Johnson
(Football/Track), Willie Joseph (Football), Legolian “Boots” Moore (Football), Bo Murray (Football), Helen Richards-Smith (Basketball), Richard Stebbins
(Track), Hershell West (Basketball), Willie Young (Football), Tank Younger (Football), Ralph W.E. Jones (College President and Coach), Eddie Robinson (Coach), Collie Nicholson (Sports Information Officer), Fred C. Hobdy (Coach), Willie Brown (Football), Buck Buchanan
(Football), Willie Davis (Football) and Charlie Joiner
(Football).
After a successful playing career, Hardnett entered a career of coaching. His coaching career would have him serve as the Head Basketball Coach at Coppin State in Baltimore, MD and at Morris Brown College
in Atlanta, GA. During his career at Morris Brown College he served quadruple duties as the Head Basketball Coach, Athletic Director, Head Baseball Coach, and Head Golf Coach. He coached for 12 years and amassed a 160 - 150 coaching record. During his coaching career, Hardnett had the following highlights:
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. The 6' 8" power-forward played for Carver High School
Carver High School (Atlanta, Georgia)
The New Schools at Carver formerly the George Washington Carver Comprehensive High School, is a high school in Atlanta, Georgia and part of Atlanta Public Schools. Carver includes many schools in one...
Atlanta, GA. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
for Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
from 1959 to 1963. Hardnett earned All-America honors in 1962. He was also the NAIA Basketball Tournament MVP in 1961. Hardnett was drafted in the 3rd round (3rd pick) of the 1962 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He played for the Chicago Zephyrs (NBA) in the 1962-63 season and the Baltimore Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
from 1963 to 1965. Hardnett also coached at the college level. He coached at Coppin State College (Baltimore) from 1970 to 1974, and at Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
(Atlanta) from 1974 to 1980.
High school career
Hardnett attended Carver High SchoolCarver High School (Atlanta, Georgia)
The New Schools at Carver formerly the George Washington Carver Comprehensive High School, is a high school in Atlanta, Georgia and part of Atlanta Public Schools. Carver includes many schools in one...
in Atlanta, GA from 1955 to 1958. While in High School, Hardnett played 3 sports including basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He earned several honors as an athlete and student while at Carver, and was the only male athlete to attend and graduate college in his graduating class. His accomplishments as a high school student-athlete are as follows:
- All-City in Football - Junior(1957) and Senior (1958)
- All-City in Basketball - Junior(1957) and Senior (1958)
- All-State in Basketball - Senior (1958)
- State Tournament MVP - Senior (1958)
- Black High School All-American Team - Senior (1958)
- Member of the Baseball team for three years
- President of the student body - Senior (1958)
- The most improved student award - Senior (1958)
- Four-Year Scholarship to Grambling College
Collegiate career
Hardnett went to Grambling College in 1958, and became an instant success. He was coached by Fred Hobdy was coached at Grambling for 30 seasons. During his days at Grambling, Hardnett played with players such as Willis ReedWillis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. is a retired American basketball player, coach and manager of basketball teams. He spent his entire professional playing career with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
. During his years at Grambling, Hardnett amassed the following honors:
1958 - 1959
- First year starter
- Led the team in rebounding
1959 - 1960
- Most Valuable Player - Georgia Invitational Tournament, Atlanta, GA
- NAIA All-American Team
- Selected to the NAIA All-Stars that participated in the 1960 Olympic Trials
Beat Ohio State (1960 NCAA Champions) in the first round - First Team All-SWAC
1960 - 1961
- NAIA All-American
- NAIA Tournament MVP
- NAIA All-Tournament Team
- Basketball Player of the year award - 100% Tip-Off Club Atlanta
- Chuck Taylor All-American Second Team
Only small college player selected - First Team All-SWAC
- NAIA Basketball Championship
2nd HBCU to win the event (Only National Championship for Grambling)
1961 - 62
- NAIA All-American Team
- Chuck Taylor All-American First Team
Only small college player selected - First Team All-SWAC
Hardnett scored over 2,000 points in his career at Grambling and grabbed over 2,000 rebounds (16.9 RPG—First All-Time at Grambling). In addition, Hardnett was drafted by the NBA and became the First African-American drafted by the NBA from the state of Georgia, the second Player drafted by the NBA from Grambling, and only the third African-American drafted by the NBA from an HBCU in the state of Louisiana. In 1973, Hardnett was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame as an athlete.
2009
- Inducted into the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame at the inaugural induction ceremony July 18, 2009, Monroe, LA.
The inaugural induction class includes Willis Reed
Willis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. is a retired American basketball player, coach and manager of basketball teams. He spent his entire professional playing career with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
(Basketball), Tommy Agee (Baseball), Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd
Ernest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:...
(Football/Wrestling), Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer was a Scottish engineer who contributed much to founding Western-style technical education in Japan and Anglo-Japanese relations.- Early life :...
(Football), Ralph Garr
Ralph Garr
Ralph Allen Garr is a former Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox and California Angels. He batted left-handed and threw right...
(Baseball), Charlie Hardnett (Basketball), Robert Hopkins
Bob Hopkins
Robert M. Hopkins is a former National Basketball Association player and coach. He played college ball at Grambling where he scored 3,759 points , and then played in the NBA for four seasons with the Syracuse Nationals...
(Basketball), Lane Howell
Lane Howell
Autrey Lane Howell is a former professional American football player who played defensive tackle for seven seasons for the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles....
(Football), Stone Johnson
Stone Johnson
Stone Johnson was an Olympic sprinting athlete and American football kick returner/running back for the Kansas City Chiefs....
(Football/Track), Willie Joseph (Football), Legolian “Boots” Moore (Football), Bo Murray (Football), Helen Richards-Smith (Basketball), Richard Stebbins
Richard Stebbins
Richard Vaughn Stebbins is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics....
(Track), Hershell West (Basketball), Willie Young (Football), Tank Younger (Football), Ralph W.E. Jones (College President and Coach), Eddie Robinson (Coach), Collie Nicholson (Sports Information Officer), Fred C. Hobdy (Coach), Willie Brown (Football), Buck Buchanan
Buck Buchanan
Junious "Buck" Buchanan was an American collegiate and professional Football defensive tackle. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League and in the National Football League ....
(Football), Willie Davis (Football) and Charlie Joiner
Charlie Joiner
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
(Football).
Professional career
Hardnett's professional basketball career started by being drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in the 3rd round of the 1962 NBA draft. He played in Chicago for the Zephyrs and in Baltimore for the Bullets. After the NBA, Hardnett went on to play in the CBA Eastern League. He played three more years of professional basketball for the Harrisburg Patriots and the Scranton Miners.Coaching career
After a successful playing career, Hardnett entered a career of coaching. His coaching career would have him serve as the Head Basketball Coach at Coppin State in Baltimore, MD and at Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
in Atlanta, GA. During his career at Morris Brown College he served quadruple duties as the Head Basketball Coach, Athletic Director, Head Baseball Coach, and Head Golf Coach. He coached for 12 years and amassed a 160 - 150 coaching record. During his coaching career, Hardnett had the following highlights:
- Won 3 Regular Season Championships (team years)
- Won 2 Conference Tournament Championships (team years)
- Finished 3rd in Conference Tournament twice (??, ??)
- Took Coppin State to NAIA District 19 Playoffs twice (??, ??)
- Players for Charles Hardnett
- 1 Player Drafted by the NBA (Name and Year)
- 7 Players on All-Conference Teams (Names and Years)
- 3 Players on All-Tournament Teams (Names and Years) - Named the Coach of the Year twice (team years)
- Named Atlanta University Coach of the Year in 1980, Presented at Extra Point Club, Inc. of Atlanta, GA