New Florida A&M men’s basketball coach Charlie Ward is wasting no time making waves on the HBCU recruiting trail. Ward and his staff are going head-to-head with elite programs as they build his first Rattlers roster.
On Monday, July 21, Christopher Washington Jr., the No. 1 basketball prospect in Tennessee, included FAMU in his top seven college choices. The four-star forward also named Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Villanova—all powerhouse programs known for high-level competition.
In an interview with On3’s Jamie Shaw, Washington explained what he’s looking for in a college:
“I want to go somewhere that feels like a family. And I want to play early, so I want to go somewhere I’ll play right away. How they play will be big for me. I like playing fast and playing on the wing. Location won’t matter to me as long as it feels like family there.”
Washington, a 6-foot-7, 175-pound small forward, plays for Providence Christian Academy in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He is rated the No. 13 small forward nationally and 31st overall by 247Sports.
HBCU hire Charlie Ward making FAMU a player in recruiting
Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Washington began his high school career at The Villages Charter School before transferring to Providence as a junior. His inclusion of an HBCU in a list packed with Power Five programs signals growing respect for what Coach Ward is building at FAMU.
Ward was officially named Florida A&M men’s basketball head coach on April?16,?2025, replacing Patrick Crarey II, who departed to lead Grambling State after just one season there. This marks Ward’s first college head coaching role. The former Heisman Trophy winner and 11-year NBA veteran arrives amid renewed optimism, aiming to build on FAMU’s progress and bring new energy to the Rattlers program. With his storied history in Tallahassee, the season is setting up for a pristine opportunity of community support and high-level basketball.