Ken Gardner
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Kay Gardner is a retired 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. 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
. Gardner was twice named the best American player in France during his five year career there, during which he averaged 22.8 points per game. His 6,012 career points still rank in the top 100 among all-time scorers in the French league.
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. Gardner was one of only two unanimous selections to the Western Athletic Conference
all-conference basketball team in 1971. Gardner was also 2nd Team all-conference as a Junior in 1970. 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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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. Gardner went on to play for the also defunct Nice BC of the LNB
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
(French National Basketball League) and the Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
of the ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
. Gardner was twice named the best American player in France during his five year career there, during which he averaged 22.8 points per game. His 6,012 career points still rank in the top 100 among all-time scorers in the French league.
Gardner played for the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in college and ranks top ten in points per game and top five in rebounds per game in the school's history. Gardner was one of only two unanimous selections to the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
all-conference basketball team in 1971. Gardner was also 2nd Team all-conference as a Junior in 1970. 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.