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{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1956)}}
{{About|the former basketball player|the current basketball player|Bernard King (basketball, born 1981)|other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Bernard King
| image = Bernard King UT.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = King with the [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee Volunteers]] {{c.}} 1976
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|12|4}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 205
| high_school = [[Fort Hamilton High School|Fort Hamilton]] (Brooklyn, New York)
| college = [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee]] (1974–1977)
| draft_year = 1977
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 7
| draft_team = [[New York Nets]]
| career_start = 1977
| career_end = 1993
| career_position = [[Small forward]]
| career_number = 22, 30
| years1 = {{nbay|1977|start}}–{{nbay|1978|end}}
| team1 = [[New Jersey Nets]]
| years2 = {{nbay|1979|full=y}}
| team2 = [[Utah Jazz]]
| years3 = {{nbay|1980|start}}–{{nbay|1981|end}}
| team3 = [[Golden State Warriors]]
| years4 = {{nbay|1982|start}}–{{nbay|1986|end}}
| team4 = [[New York Knicks]]
| years5 = {{nbay|1987|start}}–{{nbay|1990|end}}
| team5 = [[Washington Bullets]]
| years6 = {{nbay|1992|end}}
| team6 = New Jersey Nets
| highlights = 
* 4× [[NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star]] ([[1982 NBA All-Star Game|1982]], [[1984 NBA All-Star Game|1984]], [[1985 NBA All-Star Game|1985]], [[1991 NBA All-Star Game|1991]])
* 2× [[All-NBA First Team]] (1984, 1985)
* [[All-NBA Second Team]] (1982)
* [[All-NBA Third Team]] (1991)
* [[NBA Comeback Player of the Year]] (1981)
* [[NBA All-Rookie Team]] (1978)
* [[List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders|NBA scoring champion]] (1985)
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1977 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1977]])
* Consensus second-team All-American ([[1976 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1976]])
* Third-team All-American – [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] ([[1975 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1975]])
* 3× [[Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|SEC Player of the Year]] (1975–1977)
* No. 53 [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball#Retired jerseys|retired by Tennessee Volunteers]]
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 19,655 (22.5 ppg) 
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 5,060 (5.8 rpg)
| stat3label =[[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 2,863 (3.3 apg)
| HOF_player = bernard-king
}}

'''Bernard King''' (born December 4, 1956) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player at the [[small forward]] position in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He played 14 seasons with the [[New Jersey Nets]], [[Utah Jazz]], [[Golden State Warriors]], [[New York Knicks]], and [[Washington Bullets]]. King is a four-time [[NBA All-Star]], four-time [[All-NBA]] selection and led the NBA in scoring in the [[1984–85 NBA season|1984–85 season]]. He was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] on September 8, 2013.<ref name="Times – Araton">{{cite news|last=Lawrence|first=Mitch|title=Basketball Hall of Fame doors finally open for Knicks legend Bernard King|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/lawrence-hall-doors-finally-open-knick-legend-king-article-1.1448928|access-date=September 8, 2013|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=September 8, 2013}}</ref> His younger brother, [[Albert King (basketball)|Albert]], also played in the NBA during his career.

== Early life and college ==
{{Expand section|King's high school basketball career|date=June 2024}}
Bernard King was born on December 4, 1956, in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City|New York]]. He developed his basketball skills on the playgrounds of [[Fort Hamilton]] in Brooklyn. King used the outdoor courts in New York City to refine his game and as an escape from his surroundings. Reflecting on this time, King noted how the parks provided a space where he could focus entirely on basketball, teaching him discipline and motivating him to pursue greatness.

King attended the [[University of Tennessee]], where he had a successful collegiate basketball career. His time in college prepared him for his future in professional basketball.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-13 |title=Bernard King on Growing Up in Brooklyn and Writing His New Book |url=https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/bernard-king-growing-brooklyn-writing-new-book/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website= SLAM |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Villanueva |first=Virgil |date=2024-10-05 |title=The origins of Bernard King's quick release that dominated the NBA: "I played center in high school; I had to find a way to get the shot off" |url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/off-the-court/the-origins-of-bernard-kings-quick-release-that-dominated-the-nba |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Basketball Network |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Bernard King |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bernard-king/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website= hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref>

==NBA career==
At {{height|ft=6|in=7}} and 205 pounds, King was an explosive, high-scoring [[small forward]] utilizing long arms and a quick release. King was a tremendous scorer. In the {{nbay|1984}} season, he led the NBA in scoring  with 32.9 points per game.

===New Jersey Nets===
After playing [[college basketball]] for the Tennessee Volunteers, the [[New York Nets]] selected King with the seventh overall pick in the [[1977 NBA draft]],<ref>{{cite web |title=1977 NBA Draft, First Round|url=http://www.nba.com/draft2002/history/history_77draft.html |work=NBA.com|access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Legends profile: Bernard King |url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-bernard-king |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}</ref> Months later, the Nets relocated from [[Uniondale, New York]], to [[New Jersey]] and became known as the [[New Jersey Nets]].

In [[1977–78 NBA season|1977–78]], his rookie season, King set a New Jersey Nets franchise record for most points scored in a season with 1,909, at [[List of National Basketball Association top rookie scoring averages|24.2 points per game]]. For his efforts, he was named to the NBA all-rookie first team and placed third in [[NBA Rookie of the Year]] voting, behind [[Walter Davis (basketball)|Walter Davis]] and [[Marques Johnson]].<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1978.html#all_roy 1977-78 NBA Awards Voting: Rookie of the Year (Wilt Chamberlain Trophy)]</ref> He would surpass this record with his 2,027-point season in [[1983–84 NBA season|1983–84]], earning the first of his back-to-back All-NBA First Team selections.

===Utah Jazz===
King played for the [[Utah Jazz]] in the 1979–80 season and averaged 9.3 points per game in 19 games.

===Golden State Warriors===
The Jazz traded King to the [[Golden State Warriors]] before the [[1980–81 NBA season|1980–81 season]]. Over two years, he averaged 21.9 points per game, in his first year playing alongside players such as 1980 NBA All-Star [[World B. Free]], [[Joe Barry Carroll]], and [[Clifford Ray]] and 23.2 points per game in his second year with the team. Just before the start of the [[1982–83 NBA season|1982–83 season]], King was traded to the [[New York Knicks]] in exchange for [[Micheal Ray Richardson]].

===New York Knicks===
On a Texas road trip on January 31 and February 1, 1984, King made history by becoming the first player since [[Rick Barry]] in 1967 to score at least 50 points in consecutive games. He scored 50 points on 20 for 30 shooting with 10 free throws in a 117–113 Knicks' victory over the [[San Antonio Spurs]] on January 31. King followed this with another 50-point performance at Dallas, setting a [[Reunion Arena]] single-game scoring record in the process. He scored 11 points in both the first and second quarters and 14 points in both the third and fourth quarters. King drew 13 fouls on [[Dallas Mavericks]] defenders, including [[Mark Aguirre]], who fouled out. King shot 20 for 28 from the field with 10 free throws in the 105–98 win over the Mavericks.<ref>{{cite news|title=King's 50 beat Mavericks, 105-98|date=February 2, 1984|first=Jan|last=Hubbard|newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|page=1B, 7B}}</ref><ref name="Times – Berkow">{{cite news|last=Berkow|first=Ira|title=The Incandescent King|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/02/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-incandescent-king.html|access-date=May 22, 2013|newspaper=New York Times|date=February 2, 1984}}</ref>

The next season, on Christmas Day, 1984, King lit up the New Jersey Nets for 60 points in a losing effort, becoming just the tenth player in NBA history to score [[List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game|60 or more points in a single game]]. King had scored 40 points by halftime, and finished the game with 19 of 30 shooting from the field and 22 of 26 from the free throw line.<ref>{{cite news|title=King Scores Knick-Record 60 Points in Loss to Nets|date=December 26, 1984|first=Sam|last=Goldpaper|newspaper=The New York Times|page=D9}}</ref>

At the peak of his career, however, King suffered a devastating injury to his right leg<ref name="Times – Araton" /> while planting it under the hoop attempting to block a dunk by [[Kansas City Kings|Kansas City King]] [[Reggie Theus]] on March 23, 1985.  The injury included a torn [[anterior cruciate ligament]], torn [[Meniscus (anatomy)|meniscus]], and [[lateral condyle fracture]] of the [[femur]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/bernard-king-says-he-s-most-proud-of-grueling-comeback-1.6030658|title=Bernard King: Comeback 'defines my career'|website=newsday.com|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref> required major reconstruction, causing King to miss all of the [[1985–86 NBA season|1985–86 season]]. To that point no NBA player had returned to form after such a potentially career-ending injury, surgery, and loss of time.

Rehabilitating completely out of the media spotlight, King drove himself back into competitive shape. Despite averaging 22.7 points per game during his first six games back, he had not recovered his pre-injury explosiveness and was released by the Knicks at the end of the [[1986–87 NBA season|1987 season]]. 

===Washington Bullets===
King spent the 1987–88 season climbing back to his former stature as a scorer with the [[Washington Bullets]]. That season, during which King, fellow all-star journeyman [[Moses Malone]], and [[Jeff Malone]] teamed up to form a formidable trio, would be the only time Washington made the playoffs during King's tenure. In the first round, the Bullets lost a contested five-game series 3–2 against the up-and-coming [[Detroit Pistons]], who would go on to make the [[NBA Finals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1988-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-bullets-vs-pistons.html|title = 1988 NBA Eastern Conference First Round - Bullets vs. Pistons}}</ref>

On November 3, 1990, King scored 44 points in a win over [[Michael Jordan]] and the Bulls, which was the most points King had scored in a game since his devastating 1985 knee injury.<ref>{{cite news|last=Aldridge |first=David |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1990/11/04/bullets-rise-to-occasion-as-kings-44-nail-bulls/be872bfe-3479-4977-bdfb-cce801943b99/ |title=BULLETS RISE TO OCCASION AS KING'S 44 NAIL BULLS |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 4, 1990 |accessdate=June 11, 2022}}</ref> On December 29, in a game against the [[Denver Nuggets]], King scored a season high 52 points in a 161–133 victory. It was the most points a Washington player had scored since the team moved from [[Baltimore]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/12/29/Bullets-161-Nuggets-133/2075662446800/ | title=Bullets 161, Nuggets 133 }}</ref> That season, King was selected to his fourth all-star team.

From 1989 to 1991, King averaged 20-plus points in three consecutive seasons. His scoring average peaked at 28.4 points per game at age 34 in [[1990–91 Washington Bullets season|1991]], which included ten games where King scored more than 40 points.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=how+many+times+did+bernard+king+score+more+than+40+points+in+1990-91 | title=How Many Times Did Bernard King Score More Than 40 Points in 1990-91 }}</ref>

===New Jersey Nets===
After a year-and-a-half hiatus due to yet another knee injury, King returned for a 32-game stint with the [[New Jersey Nets]] at the end of the [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93 season]], until [[knee]] problems forced him to retire from the NBA permanently.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bernard King Retires After 14 Seasons in the NBA |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-03-sp-31376-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 27, 2020 |date=September 3, 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/219757-bernard-king-the-nbas-underrated-legend?FORM=ZZNR8 | title=Bernard King: The NBA's Underappreciated Legend | website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref>

==NBA career statistics==
King retired with 19,655 points in 874 games, good for a 22.5 points per game average and number 16 on the [[List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders|all-time NBA scoring list]] at the time of his retirement.

{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1977}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1977–78 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 79 || {{sort|-|—}} || '''39.1''' || .479 || {{sort|-|—}} || .677 || '''9.5''' || 2.4 || '''1.5''' || '''.5''' || 24.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1978}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1978–79 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| '''82''' || {{sort|-|—}} || 34.9 || .522 || {{sort|-|—}} || .564 || 8.2 || 3.6 || 1.4 || '''.5''' || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1979}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979–80 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| 19 || {{sort|-|—}} || 22.1 || .518 || {{sort|-|—}} || .540 || 4.6 || 2.7 || .4 || .2 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1980}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1980–81 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| 81 || {{sort|-|—}} || 36.0 || '''.588''' || '''.333''' || .703 || 6.8 || 3.5 || .9 || .4 || 21.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1981}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1981–82 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| 79 || 77 || 36.2 || .566 || .200 || .705 || 5.9 || 3.6 || 1.0 || .3 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1982}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 68 || 68 || 32.5 || .528 || .000 || .722 || 4.8 || 2.9 || 1.3 || .2 || 21.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1983}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 77 || 76 || 34.6 || .572 || .000 || .779 || 5.1 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .2 || 26.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1984}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984–85 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 55 || 55 || 37.5 || .530 || .100 || .772 || 5.8 || 3.7 || 1.3 || .3 || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''32.9'''*
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1986}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986–87 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 6 || 4 || 35.7 || .495 || {{sort|-|—}} || .744 || 5.3 || 3.2 || .3 || .0 || 22.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1987}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 69 || 38 || 29.6 || .501 || .167 || .762 || 4.1 || 2.8 || .7 || .1 || 17.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1988}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988–89 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 81 || 81 || 31.6 || .477 || .167 || '''.819''' || 4.7 || 3.6 || .8 || .2 || 20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1989}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989–90 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| '''82''' || '''82''' || 32.8 || .487 || .130 || .803 || 4.9 || '''4.6''' || .6 || .1 || 22.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1990}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990–91 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 64 || 64 || 37.5 || .472 || .216 || .790 || 5.0 || '''4.6''' || .9 || .3 || 28.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1992}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1992–93 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 32 || 2 || 13.4 || .514 || .286 || .684 || 2.4 || .6 || .3 || .1 || 7.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 874 || 547 || 33.7 || .518 || .172 || .730 || 5.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .3 || 22.5
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star
| 4 || 1 || 21.0 || .474 || {{sort|-|—}} || .692 || 4.3 || 2.3 || .8 || .5 || 11.3
{{s-end}}

===Playoffs===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979 NBA playoffs|1979]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1978–79 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 2 || {{sort|-|—}} || '''40.5''' || .500 || {{sort|-|—}} || .417 || 5.5 || '''3.5''' || '''2.0''' || .0 || 26.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983 NBA playoffs|1983]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 6 || {{sort|-|—}} || 30.7 || '''.577''' || '''.333''' || .800 || 4.0 || 2.2 || .3 || .0 || 23.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| '''12''' || {{sort|-|—}} || 39.8 || .574 || .000 || .756 || '''6.2''' || 3.0 || 1.2 || '''.5''' || '''34.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988 NBA playoffs|1988]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 5 || 4 || 33.6 || .491 || {{sort|-|—}} || '''.810''' || 2.2 || 1.8 || .6 || .0 || 13.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1993 NBA playoffs|1993]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1992–93 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| 3 || 1 || 8.0 || .571 || {{sort|-|—}} || {{sort|-|—}} || .3 || .0 || .3 || .0 || 2.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 28 || 5 || 33.4 || .559 || .250 || .729 || 4.3 || 2.3 || .9 || .2 || 24.5
{{s-end}}

==Awards and recognition==
At the age of 24, King won the [[NBA Comeback Player of the Year Award]] for his play during the 1980–1981 season with the Golden State Warriors. That year, King averaged 21.9 points per game after having played just 19 games the season before with the Utah Jazz.<ref name="Times – Berkow" /><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA & ABA Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/cpoy.html|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref>

On February 13, 2007, Bernard King's number 53 was retired at the halftime of the Tennessee-Kentucky basketball game at [[Thompson–Boling Arena]] in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]].<ref>[http://utsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021207aad.html University of Tennessee Retires Bernard King's Number] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820164811/http://utsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021207aad.html |date=August 20, 2008 }} @ UTsports.com</ref> His jersey number was the first jersey number retired by the Volunteers, who later retired the number of [[Ernie Grunfeld]], King's former teammate. The late 1970s Tennessee men's basketball team was known as the "Ernie and Bernie Show" (in reference to Grunfeld and King) and is viewed by many as the golden age of UT men's basketball. During an ESPN interview after halftime, King stated he had not returned to the University of Tennessee in more than 30 years, but expressed his sincere appreciation to the university and his plans to return again. His reason for not visiting his alma mater was simply that he had not been asked. King's ceremony punctuated an 89–85 Tennessee victory over the visiting Wildcats.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100114062706/http://utsports.tv/featured/tipoff-club-bernard-king-speech/ Bernard King speech to Tennessee Tip-Off Club], UTsports.com</ref>

During the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, a panel of basketball analysts for the [[TNT (American TV network)|TNT]] network selected Bernard King as one of nominees of the "Next 10", a list of 10 unofficial additions to the [[NBA 50 Greatest Players|NBA's 50 greatest players]] list in honor of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s 60th anniversary.<ref>[http://www.tnt.tv/dramalounge/article/?oid=7461 Legends in the Making<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230112838/http://www.tnt.tv/dramalounge/article/?oid=7461 |date=December 30, 2007 }}, [[TNT (U.S. TV network)|TNT]], accessed March 9, 2008</ref>

In 2013, he was elected to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] with inductees such as [[Rick Pitino]] and [[Gary Payton]].<ref>[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1596944-basketball-hall-of-fame-2013-complete-list-of-inductees-to-naismith-memorial ]. bleacherreprot.com </ref>

==Broadcasting career==
King is now working as a part-time broadcaster for [[NBA TV]] as well as the [[MSG Network]], filling in on some occasions as color commentator when [[Walt Frazier]] is on vacation.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

==Acting career==
King made an appearance in ''[[Miami Vice]]'' as Matt Ferguson, son of Judge Roger Ferguson (played by [[Bill Russell]]), a basketball star with the fictitious Florida Sunblazers in the episode "The Fix". He also appeared in the 1979 movie ''[[Fast Break (film)|Fast Break]]'' (with [[Reb Brown]]).

==Personal life==

===Legal Troubles===
In July 1977, a month after being drafted by the Nets, King was arrested and charged with burglary for breaking into a UT athletics building to steal a television set.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bernard King Arrested |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19770711&id=NWFNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vPoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5101,3249074 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=Lakeland Ledger |date=July 11, 1977}}</ref> He had earlier been suspended from the Tennessee team after being arrested for marijuana possession (later acquitted), drunk driving, and resisting arrest (all later dropped),<ref name="bloom1982">{{cite news |last1=Bloom |first1=Barry |title=Bernard King |url=https://from-way-downtown.com/2023/02/22/the-resurrection-of-bernard-king-1982/ |work=The Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball |issue=1982 |publisher=Signet}}</ref> which stemmed from an arrest after police were called by a woman who said a man was trying to break into her apartment, and upon arrival they found King in the hallway.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kindred |first1=Dave |title=King's Arrests Mystify His Friends and Coaches |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/07/23/kings-arrests-mystify-his-friends-and-coaches/c2c83d4f-66e5-47b0-ace6-27271f0eebed/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=July 22, 1977}}</ref>

In December 1978, King was arrested by the NYPD while sleeping in his car with "less than $10 worth" of cocaine on hand, and was charged with several misdemeanors, later dropped.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldaper |first1=Sam |title=Nets' King Is Arrested on Driving and Drug Counts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/12/19/archives/nets-king-is-arrested-on-driving-and-drug-counts-trouble-in-college.html |access-date=February 15, 2024 |work=New York Times |date=December 19, 1978}}</ref>

In January 1980, King was arrested in Salt Lake City after complaint of forcible sexual assault by a woman.<ref>{{cite news |title=King, Forward for Jazz, Arrested on Sex Charge; Acquired From Nets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/01/03/archives/king-forward-for-jazz-arrested-on-sex-charge-acquired-from-nets.html |access-date=February 15, 2024 |work=New York Times |date=January 3, 1980}}</ref> Facing a possible 10-year sentence, he took multiple lie detector tests to support his assertion that he had been so intoxicated he had no recollection of the events in question.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sachare |first1=Alex |title=King Comes Back After Skid to Rock Bottom |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19810323&id=UDFPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nwIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1868,7749510 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Toledo Blade |date=March 23, 1981}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosen |first1=Byron |title=Nba Hopes to Discover Dawkins-Proof Boards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1980/06/05/nba-hopes-to-discover-dawkins-proof-boards/bfdf1a07-d055-4a5c-a589-a73fd43c213b/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=June 4, 1980}}</ref> That June, he would plead guilty to a reduced charge of attempted forcible sexual abuse, and received a fine and suspended sentence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 5, 1980 |title=King Pleads Guilty, Escapes Prison Term; Still Faces Drug Charge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/06/05/archives/king-pleads-guilty-escapes-prison-term-still-faces-drug-charge.html |access-date=February 15, 2024 |work=New York Times|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

In his 2017 autobiography, King would say that he battled alcohol addiction in the late 1970s, and that it was "the darkest period of my life".<ref>{{cite book |last1=King |first1=Bernard |title=Game Face: A Lifetime of Hard-Earned Lessons On and Off the Basketball Court |date=November 7, 2017 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0306825705 }}</ref> Following his early-1980 arrest, he spent a month at a California rehab center, and then sought help through [[Alcoholics Anonymous]].<ref name="bloom1982" />

After his playing career was over, more troubles followed. In August 1994, an intoxicated King was arrested in New York and charged with assaulting a 22-year-old woman in his apartment, after allegedly grabbing her around the neck in an altercation (for which she was treated for bruises at a local hospital).<ref>{{cite news |title=Bernard King arrested for assault |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/08/11/Bernard-King-arrested-for-assault/5501776577600/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |work=United Press International |date=August 11, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=BERNARD KING RELEASED AFTER ARREST FOR ASSAULT ON FEMALE |url=https://greensboro.com/bernard-king-released-after-arrest-for-assault-on-female/article_0154ca56-d645-5df9-83a9-009f52133b03.html |access-date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=Greensboro News and Record |date=August 11, 1994}}</ref>  In October 2004, King was again arrested in New York for battery of his wife Shana, who told authorities he had pushed her to the ground three times; the incident left her black and blue with bruises on her eye and swelling on her forehead.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Doyle |first1=John |title=FORMER KNICK BUSTED; KING BEAT WIFE: COPS |url=https://nypost.com/2004/10/24/former-knick-busted-king-beat-wife-cops/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=NY Post |date=October 24, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Melago |first1=Carrie |title=Police Bust Ex-Knicks Star in Wife Feud |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2004/10/24/bust-ex-knicks-star-in-wife-feud/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=NY Daily News |date=October 24, 2004}}</ref> The charges were dropped after King agreed to marriage counseling sessions,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Richmond |first1=Peter |title=On the Fame of a King |url=http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2013/04/08/on-the-fame-of-a-king/ |website=Bronx Banter Blog |access-date=February 15, 2024 |date=April 8, 2013}}</ref> but the incident cost King a promotional relationship with local property developer [[Bruce Ratner]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wisloski |first1=Jess |title=Key Ratner booster accused of spousal abuse |url=https://www.brooklynpaper.com/key-ratner-booster-accused-of-spousal-abuse/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=Brooklyn Paper |date=October 29, 2004}}</ref> as well as resulting in his name being removed as an honoree of the [[Brooklyn Public Library]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Creekmore |first1=Betsey |title=Bernard King |url=https://volopedia.lib.utk.edu/entries/bernard-king/ |website=Volopedia |publisher=University of Tennessee |access-date=February 15, 2024 |date=September 25, 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NBA career turnovers leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-season scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA rookie single-season scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game scoring leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Basketballstats|nba_historical=bernard_king|bbr=k/kingbe01}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100718042609/http://www.nba.com/history/players/kingb_bio.html Bernard King bio] @ ''NBA.com''
*[https://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/02.01.html "The Incandescent King"] @ nytimes.com
* {{Basketballhof|bernard-king}}

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