Butch Beard: Mr. Basketball, UofL Hall of Famer, NBA All-Star / Champion - AIR113

In all Airness - Michael Jordan era NBA history

Alfred 'Butch' Beard was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 1965. He paints a picture of life in 1960s Kentucky - the civil rights movement and his exposure to racism. Butch starred at the University of Louisville and is a member of their Athletics Hall of Fame.
Butch was named an NBA All-Star in 1972 and played a key role in helping the Golden State Warriors secure their first NBA title in 1975. After retiring as a player, Butch was an assistant coach with the Knicks (1979-1982) and Nets (1989-1990). He was named the Nets' head coach for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. In 2020, Butch spoke out on the lack of Black executives in the NBA.

We also discuss Butch's (1980s) broadcasting memories with Marv Albert in this enlightening - and sometimes shocking - conversation about his remarkable life.

Many thanks to great friend of the show, Peter Vecsey, for connecting me with Butch.

Support: Buy Adam a coffee | Amazon: USA / Australia | Audible | PayPal
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast
Follow: Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook
Subscribe (free): NBA-history newsletter
[as an Amazon Associate, Adam earns from qualifying purchases - you'll be supporting his podcast at no extra cost]