Kenneth Kay Gardner (September 27, 1949 – May 16, 2024) was an American basketball player. He is best known for playing for the now-defunct French club AS Berck, with which he won the French National Championship in 1973 and 1974.[1] Gardner went on to play for the also defunct Nice BC of the LNB (French National Basketball League) and the Utah Stars of the ABA.[2] Gardner was twice named the best American player in France during his five-year career there,[3] during which he averaged 22.8 points per game.[4] His 6,012 career points still rank in the top 100 among all-time scorers in the French league.[5]
 Gardner, circa 1971 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 27, 1949 Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 2024 (aged 74) Herriman, Utah, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Clearfield (Clearfield, Utah) |
| College | Utah (1968–1971) |
| NBA draft | 1971: 5th round, 82nd overall pick |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 14 |
| Career history | |
| 1975 | Utah Stars |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Gardner played for the University of Utah in college and ranks top ten in points per game and top five in rebounds per game in the school's history.[6] Gardner was one of only two unanimous selections to the Western Athletic Conference all-conference basketball team in 1971.[7] Gardner was also 2nd Team all-conference as a Junior in 1970.[8] He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1970 Utah Classic after leading the Utes with 25 points and 20 rebounds in a win over the University of Washington in the championship game.[9]
Gardner died in Herriman, Utah, on May 16, 2024, at the age of 74.[10]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
ABA
editSource[11]
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | Utah | 9 | 5.7 | .333 | – | 1.000 | 1.4 | .3 | .2 | .1 | 1.6 |
References
edit- ^ "Legende 73](French language website commemorating the 30th anniversary of AS Berck's first championship)[". Association Légende 73. Archived from the original on 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
- ^ "Utah Stars Team Roster". RememberTheABA.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-23.
- ^ Drew, Jay (February 24, 1993). "Gardners Hoping History Repeats Itself--Sort Of". The Salt Lake Tribune, February 24, 1993, p. D1.
- ^ "Classement des plus grands joueurs du championnat de France du 81° au 90° ](French language website that details the history of basketball in France)[". www.basketballarchives.fr.
- ^ "Classement des plus grands joueurs du championnat de France ](French language website that lists the top scorers in league history)[". www.basketballarchives.fr.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Archives". University of Utah. Archived from the original on 2007-09-14.
- ^ "Gardner Tops WAC Team". Deseret News, March 8, 1971, p. 4B.
- ^ "Newlin Paces WAC Picks". Deseret News, March 2, 1970, p. 6B.
- ^ "Ute's Show Season's Best Cohesion". Deseret News, December 21, 1970, p. 6D.
- ^ "Kenneth Kay Gardner". Memorial Mortuaries & Cematories. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "Ken Gardner NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
External links
edit- Ken Gardner at RealGM
- Ken Gardner at Proballers
- Ken Gardner – Basketball-Reference.com NBA player profile
- Ken Gardner – Sports-Reference.com college basketball player profile
