Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham University will honor men's basketball greats
Bob Mullens and
Kenny Charles on Saturday, February 23, as their jerseys will be formally retired at halftime of the men's basketball game with St. Bonaventure.
The day will begin with a special pregame reception for all men's basketball alumni, Rebounders Club members, and families of the honored Rams at 3:00 p.m. in Bepler Commons. For more information on the reception, contact
Kara Field at
kfield1@fordham.edu.
Mullens was Fordham's first All-American, earning the honor in 1942-1943. He led Rams to their first ever NIT berth in 1943 with the team advancing to the semifinals. Following his Fordham career, Mullens joined the original New York Knicks in the inaugural season of the BAA. He also played professionally for the Toronto Huskies.
Prior to his stellar Fordham career, Mullens set the New York City Catholic League scoring mark at Brooklyn Prep
Mullens, who passed away in 1989, was inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975.
Charles graduated as Fordham's third all-time leading scorer with 1,697 points (he currently ranks seventh), while his 20.0 ppg career scoring average is second best in Fordham history.
Charles also set single season school marks for most points (679), most field goals (275), and most field goals attempted (607) as a senior. Charles averaged 24.3 points per game that year, fourth best all-time in school history.
As a sophomore on the 1970-71 Digger Phelps-coached team, a squad that went 26-3 and was ranked as high as seventh in the nation, Charles averaged 15.3 ppg in his first varsity season.
Selected in the second round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft by the Buffalo Braves, Charles played for three years in Buffalo under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay, and then played another three seasons for the Atlanta Hawks, coached by legendary Hubie Brown. Known as an outstanding leaper, "K.C." led all NBA guards in blocked shots in the 1975-76 season.
Charles, who also played high school basketball at Brooklyn Prep, was inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
