Butch Beard

Who is Butch Beard?

Alfred "Butch" Beard, Jr. is a former National Basketball Association player and coach. He was the head coach at Morgan State University until he stepped down in March 2006. Butch Beard played college basketball at the University of Louisville. Beard played high school basketball at Breckinridge County High School where, as a junior, he led the Bearcats to the 1964 state championship game losing to a Wes Unseld-led Louisville Seneca team. The following year, Beard led the Bearcats back to the title game winning the 1965 state championship. Additionally, Beard was named the 1965 Kentucky Mr. Basketball.

Beard was selected by the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1969 ABA Draft and by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 1969 NBA Draft. Beard played nine seasons with five teams: the Atlanta Hawks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Golden State Warriors, and the New York Knicks. He scored 5,622 career points and represented Cleveland in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game. He later served as head coach of the New Jersey Nets from 1994-1996. He was also color analyst for New York Knicks games on MSG Network during the 1980s.