Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the detailed information about Butch Beard, a former NBA player and coach:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Alfred “Butch” Beard Jr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on May 5, 1947
  • Hometown: Hardinsburg, Kentucky, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm)
  • Weight: 185 pounds (84 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 4 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 12 (US)
  • Number: Wore jersey numbers 3, 7, 12, and 21
  • Position: Point Guard / Shooting Guard
  • High School: Breckinridge County High School in Harned, Kentucky
  • College: University of Louisville (1966–1969)
  • NBA Draft: Selected in the 1st round (10th overall pick) in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks
  • Teams Played For:
    • Atlanta Hawks (1969–1970)
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (1970–1972)
    • Seattle SuperSonics (1972–1973)
    • Golden State Warriors (1973–1975)
    • New York Knicks (1975–1976)
  • Championship Rings: 1 (1975, with the Golden State Warriors)
  • Kids: Not publicly available
  • Siblings: Not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Butch Beard’s player archetype was that of a steady floor general, a point guard who blended ball handling, playmaking, and supplementary scoring rather than operating as a pure volume shooter. Offensively, he worked as a table-setting guard who could still carry real scoring responsibility when needed, which showed up both in college, where he led Louisville in scoring multiple times, and in the NBA, where he carved out a long career as a starting-caliber guard and averaged 3.6 assists per game. Defensively, his role was that of a competitive perimeter guard who could pressure opposing ballhandlers and hold his own at the point of attack, while physically he had solid size for the position at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds. Overall, Beard’s play style looked like that of a composed, two-way lead guard: smart with the ball, capable of organizing an offense, and tough enough to fit alongside stronger scorers on winning teams, including the 1975 Warriors title group. (NBA)

Sources:

NBA.com — Butch Beard | Guard | New York Knicks
University of Louisville Athletics — Alfred “Butch” Beard (1966-69) (1981) – Athletics Hall of Fame
Wikipedia — Butch Beard