Chuck Harmison
{{short description|Australian professional basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Chuck Harmison
| image =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| highschool = Ames (Ames, Iowa)
| college = Iowa State (1976–1980)
| draft_year = 1980
| career_start = 1982
| career_end = 1996
| career_position = Forward
| years1 = 1982–1983
| team1 = Nunawading Spectres
| years2 = 1984–1985
| team2 = Coburg Giants
| years3 = 1986–1987
| team3 = West Sydney Westars
| years4 = 1988–1996
| team4 = Illawarra Hawks
| highlights =
- No. 4 retired by Illawarra Hawks
}}
Chuck Harmison (born {{circa|1958}}{{cite news |title=Where Are They Now? Chuck Harmison |url=https://cyclones.com/news/2011/8/1/205235599 |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=Iowa State University Athletics |date=1 August 2011 |language=en |quote=The 53-year-old Harmison sat down with cyclones.com this past week while he was in town for his 35-year Ames High School reunion.}}) is an American former professional basketball player who played 15 seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones between 1976 and 1980. He moved to Australia in 1982 to play for the Nunawading Spectres and later played for the Coburg Giants and West Sydney Westars before playing nine seasons with the Illawarra Hawks between 1988 and 1996. His No. 4 jersey was retired by the Illawarra Hawks. After retiring, Harmison entered sports administration, where he served as general manager of both the Hawks and the NBL.
Early life
Harmison is a native of Ames, Iowa. He attended Ames High School and led the basketball team to an undefeated state championship season in 1976. He was one of the most coveted recruits in the nation coming out of high school.
College career
Harmison chose to remain in Ames for college, where he attended Iowa State University. He played four seasons of college basketball for the Cyclones between 1976 and 1980.{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/chuck-harmison-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |access-date=9 December 2024 |language=en}}
As a freshman in 1976–77, Harmison averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 26 games. As a sophomore in 1977–78, he averaged 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27 games. As a junior in 1978–79, he averaged 7.0 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24 games. He had a career-best season as a senior in 1979–80, averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27 games.
Professional career
After graduating college, Harmison had a season in Belgium before moving to Australia in 1982 to play for the Nunawading Spectres of the National Basketball League (NBL).{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1982 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124423-199573-16568784 |website=GameDay |access-date=9 December 2024 |language=en}} He played two seasons for the Spectres{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1983 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124423-199576-16568784 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}} and then played two seasons for the Coburg Giants{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1984 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124422-199566-16567450 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1985 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124422-199545-16567450 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}} and West Sydney Westars{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1986 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124008-199572-16567550 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1987 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124008-199569-16567550 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}} before joining the Illawarra Hawks for the 1988 season.{{cite web |title=Chuck Harmison - Player Statistics 1988 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124009-199559-16568037 |website=GameDay |access-date=17 December 2024 |language=en}} He played nine seasons for the Hawks and served as team captain from 1989 to 1996.{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Mitch |title=Snakepit's charming appeal for club great |url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5135443/snakepits-charming-appeal-for-club-great/ |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=www.illawarramercury.com.au |date=20 December 2017 |language=en-au |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223083408/https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5135443/snakepits-charming-appeal-for-club-great/ |archive-date=23 December 2017}} He retired at age 38 following the 1996 season. He finished his NBL career with 15 seasons and 386 games.{{cite news |title=Legend joins NBL |url=http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&aid=1296 |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=NBL.com.au |date=1 October 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041126152613/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&aid=1296 |archive-date=26 November 2004}}
Harmison's No. 4 jersey was retired by the Illawarra Hawks{{cite web |title=Illawarra Hawks History |url=https://www.hawks.com.au/pages/illawarra-hawks-history |website=Illawarra Hawks {{!}} Official NBL Website |access-date=9 December 2024}}{{cite web |title=Retired Numbers |url=http://www.hawks.com.au/retired-numbers |website=hawks.com.au |access-date=14 December 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628214317/http://www.hawks.com.au/retired-numbers |archive-date=28 June 2015}} and he was named a Hawks life member.{{cite news |last1=Keeble |first1=Tim |title=Chuck Harmison speaks about Hawks |url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/604333/chuck-harmison-speaks-about-hawks/ |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=www.illawarramercury.com.au |date=20 January 2008 |language=en-au}}
Front office career
After retiring from playing, the Illawarra Hawks moved Harmison into the front office and appointed him the general manager of the team, a position he held for seven years. During his tenure, the club was renamed the Wollongong Hawks and the team won the NBL championship in 2001.
On 1 October 2004, Harmison was appointed the general manager of the NBL. He was still in the position of NBL general manager as of 2011 and by 2013 he had transitioned into Basketball Australia's professional leagues operations manager, overseeing both the NBL and WNBL.{{cite news |last1=Tuxworth |first1=Jon |title=Capitals suspend Ardossi to uphold club culture |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/capitals-suspend-ardossi-to-uphold-club-culture-20130204-2duxk.html |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=4 February 2013 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=The NBL is in crisis again after Townsville Crocodiles reportedly fold due to financial loses |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/the-nbl-is-in-crisis-again-after-townsville-crocodiles-reportedly-fold-due-to-financial-loses/news-story/e4d89e2d874faa6e09b730bf3a8037e5 |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=Fox Sports |date=8 April 2013 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Nagy |first1=Boti |title=Moves to keep Townsville Crocodiles alive in the NBL |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/basketball/moves-to-keep-townsville-crocodiles-alive-in-the-nbl/news-story/a71557f56ae7840dbd41acad4d120ddf |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=News.com.au |date=10 April 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Nagy |first1=Boti |title=WNBL crisis as Thunder set to fold amid financial troubles |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/basketball/wnbl-crisis-as-thunder-set-to-fold-amid-financial-troubles/news-story/4db8d0b411333ce14f0290c693427ff4 |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=News.com.au |date=25 September 2013}}
Personal life
As of 2011, Harmison was still living in Wollongong. As of 2022, Harmison's son, Mitch Harmison, was an MMA fighter.{{cite news |last1=Jennings |first1=Mitch |title=HOOPLA: Harmison junior hits like a mack Chuck |url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8014788/hoopla-harmison-junior-hits-like-a-mack-chuck/ |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=www.illawarramercury.com.au |date=11 December 2022 |language=en-au}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194196566&client=0-8739-124423-199573-16568784 NBL stats]
- [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/chuck-harmison-1.html Sports-Reference.com profile]
{{Illawarra Hawks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harmison, Chuck}}
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Australia
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:American sports executives and administrators
Category:Ames High School alumni
Category:Basketball players from Iowa
Category:Forwards (basketball)
Category:Illawarra Hawks players
Category:Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball players
Category:National Basketball League (Australia)