Vern Gardner
American basketball player (1925–1987)
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Vernon B. Gardner (May 14, 1925 – August 26, 1987) was an American basketball player. He was a two-time consensus All-American at the University of Utah and played three seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors.
Gardner in 1948 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 14, 1925 Afton, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 1987 (aged 62) Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Star Valley (Afton, Wyoming) |
| College | Utah (1945–1949) |
| BAA draft | 1949: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Philadelphia Warriors |
| Playing career | 1949–1952 |
| Position | Power forward / center |
| Number | 12 |
| Career history | |
| 1949–1952 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 1,339 (8.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 349 (4.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 245 (1.6 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Vern Gardner was a 6'5 forward/center who played at Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming and played collegiately at the University of Utah, where he was a second team consensus All-American in 1947 and 1949. Gardner led the Utes to the NIT championship in 1947, at a time when this tournament was considered as prestigious as the NCAA Tournament is today. Gardner was named tournament MVP. His number 33 was retired by the University of Utah.[1]
After the completion of his college career, Gardner was selected in the first round of the 1949 BAA draft by the Philadelphia Warriors. Gardner played three seasons for the Warriors, averaging 8.9 points per game over his career.[2]
Following his retirement from the BAA, Gardner became a high school coach and teacher, first at his alma mater Star Valley High, then at Bonneville High School in Ogden, Utah. Gardner died of a stroke on August 26, 1987.[3]
Career statistics
| 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 |
NBA
Source[2]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949–50 | Philadelphia | 63 | – | .342 | .767 | – | 1.9 | 13.5 |
| 1950–51 | Philadelphia | 61 | – | .337 | .711 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 5.4 |
| 1951–52 | Philadelphia | 27 | 18.8 | .371 | .652 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 5.9 |
| Career | 151 | 18.8 | .344 | .748 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 8.9 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Philadelphia | 2 | – | .341 | .667 | – | 1.0 | 18.0 |
| 1951 | Philadelphia | 2 | – | .500 | 1.000 | 2.0 | .0 | 5.0 |
| 1952 | Philadelphia | 3 | 25.7 | .368 | .909 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
| Career | 7 | 25.7 | .366 | .826 | 3.6 | .7 | 10.1 | |
