Last Updated on July 20, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Bernard King was one of the purest scorers of his era, capable of dismantling defenses with a smooth mid-range game, relentless drives, and remarkable body control. Despite overcoming a devastating knee injury that threatened his career, the Hall of Famer returned to elite form and cemented his place among the NBA’s greatest offensive talents.

Here’s a detailed profile of Bernard King:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Bernard King
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born December 4, 1956
  • Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA
  • Height: 6’7″ (2.01 m)
  • Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6’8″
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Jersey Number: #30 (primarily)
  • Position: Small Forward
  • High School: Fort Hamilton High School (Brooklyn, New York)
  • College: University of Tennessee (1974–1977)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 7th overall in the 1977 NBA Draft by the New York Nets
  • Teams Played For:
    • New York Nets (1977–1978)
    • Utah Jazz (1979–1980)
    • Golden State Warriors (1980–1982)
    • New York Knicks (1982–1987)
    • Washington Bullets (1987–1991)
    • New Jersey Nets (1992–1993)
  • Championship Rings: None (but highly regarded as one of the greatest NBA players without a championship)
  • Children: He has a daughter, Amina, and a son, Bernard Jr.
  • Siblings: His brother, Albert King, was also a professional basketball player in the NBA.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Bernard King’s player archetype was that of an elite three-level scoring wing, a forward built to carry heavy offensive volume while still having the size and touch to score efficiently from almost anywhere on the floor. Defensively, he was more functional than dominant, using his 6-foot-7, 205-pound frame to hold up on the wing and rebound his position, but his real value came on offense as a primary scorer who could punish defenders in isolation, rise smoothly in the mid-range, finish through contact, and generate points without needing elaborate play design. His physical traits supported that style: strong build, long stride, high release, soft shooting touch, and the body control to absorb bumps and still score. The full play-style summary is that King was a polished, forceful bucket-getter whose game blended old-school wing footwork, power, and shot-making, making him one of the league’s most dangerous pure scorers at his peak, including his 32.9-point-per-game scoring-title season. (Basketball Reference)

Scouting Report

The first thing you notice with Bernard King isn’t simply that he scores—it’s how little wasted movement there is before the shot arrives. He had an unusual patience for a forward, probing with controlled dribbles until a defender shifted their weight, then exploding into a pull-up, a hard baseline drive, or a spinning finish that rarely looked rushed despite heavy contact. To me, that’s what separated him from a lot of volume scorers. He wasn’t chasing difficult shots for the sake of it; he manipulated defenders into giving him the angle he wanted, especially from the mid-post where he could face up, jab, and attack before help had time to load up. The trade-off is that the offense often revolved around his own creation rather than flowing through multiple actions, and he wasn’t the kind of player looking to manufacture passing windows once a second defender committed. Defensively, his best possessions came when he could stay attached to his own assignment instead of constantly navigating layered screening actions or making complex low-man rotations, because his offensive workload naturally pulled energy in the opposite direction. That’s where roster construction matters. Put him beside a primary organizer who welcomes defensive attention and connective passers who keep the ball moving, and King’s scoring becomes even harder to contain because he doesn’t need many touches to find rhythm once he identifies a matchup he likes. It’s easy to overlook just how polished his footwork was; so much of his separation came from balance, timing, and understanding exactly when a defender’s hips had opened rather than relying on sheer explosiveness. His offensive profile reminds me of Adrian Dantley with a little more willingness to attack from the wing, while some of the face-up scoring rhythm echoes Carmelo Anthony, although King generally reached his spots with a quieter, more economical style.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Bernard King Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Legendary Moments in NBA History: Bernard King scores 50 points in back-to-back games
NBA.com — List of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame — Hall of Famers