Charlie Bradley put USF hoops on the map

When the University of South Florida's men's basketball program first strived for big-time goals, when Coach Lee Rose was hired away from Purdue and the Sun Dome opened on campus, when the Bulls became a known athletic commodity for Tampa Bay area sports fans, there was an obvious turning point.

It was when Charlie Bradley decided to stay home.

Bradley, the former Robinson High player, signed with USF in 1981, effectively ushering in a dizzying era when the Bulls became a factor in the state, playing before nationally televised audiences on a fledgling cable network called ESPN and offering a crowd-pleasing product.

"Charlie was the one who got it going, who set the stage for the NCAA Tournament teams (1990, '92) and brought USF's program into the modern era," said Wharton High coach Tommy Tonelli, a former USF point guard who played with Bradley.

Fittingly, Bradley is the centerpiece of the inaugural USF Athletics Hall of Fame class, which will be formally inducted on Thursday night at the Pepin Center.

Bradley, whose No. 30 jersey was retired after he scored 2,319 career points, a record that still stands, now works for Tampa's Parks and Recreation Department. He was a third-round pick of the NBA's Sacramento Kings in 1985 and also was invited to training camp with Phoenix and Miami, but he never made a regular-season roster. He played for lower-level professional teams and also internationally.

Nothing compares to his USF experience, though, particularly his breakout sophomore season.

In 1982-83, Bradley led the nation in scoring for 11 consecutive weeks. He finished with a 28.2-point average, fifth nationally, helping the Bulls to a 22-10 mark and the school's second appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.

Bradley, then a 6-foot-6, 185-pound swingman, was known for his explosive leaping ability, rim-rattling dunks and long-range shooting, in an era prior to the three-point arc.

"Sometimes, I sit back and wonder, 'What would've happened if I would've gone to Florida or Memphis State?'" said Bradley, 45, speaking of two other schools that recruited him heavily. "But I got to stay home and be part of starting something. I had a great ride and got a lot of attention. Tell you what, I'd trade in all the individual stuff for a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. That's my biggest regret.

"It all happened a long time ago. Some days, it seems like I'm far, far away from that. So to be honored like this, to be remembered in this way, it's a tremendous honor. It makes me really proud."