Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s a detailed profile of Bernard King:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Bernard King
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: 67 years old (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)

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