On This Date in Sports March 6, 1991: King's Last Hurrah
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Playing with the Washington Bullets, Bernard King scores 50 points in a 104-93 loss to the Utah Jazz at the Capital Centre. King had once had back-to-back 50 point games and won the 1985 scoring title. However, he suffered a devastating knee injury and never was the same. Five years after the injury, Berard King showed flashes of brilliance as he was named an All-Star in 1991.
Bernard King was born on December 4th, 1956, in Brooklyn. After attending the University of Tennessee, King was seventh in the NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets in 1977. With the Nets, King had a solid rookie season, averaging 24.2 ppg. Despite putting up 21.6 ppg in 21.6 in his second season, the Nets decided to trade Bernard King to the Utah Jazz. Injuries dogged King in Utah, as he played just 19 games and was dealt again to the Golden State Warriors. With the Warriors, he had two solid seasons, making his first All-Star team in 1982, before being traded once again, this time to the New York Knicks.
Bernard King’s arrival in New York came at a good time, as Knicks fans were starving for a star player to embrace as it had been a decade since their last championship. Fans hoped Michael Ray Richardson could be the next star in the Garden, but personal demons would always haunt Richardson, who was sent to Golden State in the Bernard King deal. King had a solid first year in New York, averaging 21.9 points per game, but it would be the 1983/84 season that he became the King of New York, as coach Hubbie Brown made him the focus of the Knicks offense. Bernard King was an All-Star again in 1984 and was named to the first-team All-NBA. A major highlight was back-to-back 50 point games.
Following the 1984 season, Bernard King was again playing at an All-Star level, as he had a 60-point game on Christmas in 1984. King was on the way to win a scoring title when he suffered a devastating 1985 scoring title. After missing the entire 1985/86 season, King played just six games in 1987/88 before he was released by the Knicks.
Bernard King would end up playing with the Washington Bullets. In Washington, King managed to stay healthy for a few seasons and averaged over 20 points per game in three straight seasons. This included 1991 when he made it to the All-Star Game for the first time in six years, averaging 28.4 ppg. King would appear in just five games the rest of the 1991 seasons before another injury. Bernard King would miss the 1991/92 season. His career came full circle in 1993 when he returned to action and finished his career with the Nets.