Retire Bernard King's #30!

JayJ44

Starter
Bernard King is arguably the Knicks' greatest scorer. His time with the Knicks was cut short by injury, but he is still one of the Knicks' greatest players. His jersey should go up in the rafters!

Bernard King attended college at the University of Tennessee and was selected 7th overall in the 1977 NBA Draft by the New York Nets, who months later relocated from Uniondale, New York to New Jersey and became known as the New Jersey Nets.
At 6'7" and 205 pounds, Bernard King epitomized the NBA small forward of the 1980s. Long arms and a quick release, King was explosive runner on the fast-break, King was known as a tremendous scorer, leading the NBA in scoring in 1985 with 32.9 points per game. He was twice selected to the All-NBA First Team and three times to the NBA All-Star Game.
In 1977-78, his rookie season, he set a New Jersey Nets franchise record for most points scored in a season with 1,909, at 24.2 points per game. He would later surpass this record with his 2,027 point season in 1983-84, earning the first of his back-to-back All-NBA First Team selections.
On January 31, 1984, as a Knick, King made history by becoming the first player since 1964 to score at least 50 points in consecutive games: scoring 50 points on 20 for 23 shooting with 10 free throws in a 117-113 Knicks victory over the San Antonio Spurs on January 30, and following it up with another 50 point performance in another road victory - this time in a 105-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks - on 20 for 28 shooting and 10 free throws. The next season, on Christmas day, 1984, King lit up the New Jersey Nets for 60 points, becoming just the tenth player in NBA history to score 60 or more points in a single game.
At the peak of his career, however, King suffered a devastating knee injury - a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, while planting his leg before jumping, against the then-Kansas City Kings in Kansas City, Missouri on March 23, 1985. It required major reconstruction, causing King to miss all of the 1985-86 season and denying him his once explosiveness to the basket. Despite averaging 22.7 points per game during his first six games back, it was clear that King's explosiveness was diminished, and this prompted the New York Knicks to release him at the end of the 1987 season. However, King would have a very successful comeback with the Washington Bullets, improving his scoring average each year with the squad and returning to the All-Star Game one last time in 1991, his final full season in the NBA. After a year-and-a-half hiatus and a brief 32-game stint with the New Jersey Nets at the end of the '93 season, knee problems forced Bernard King into retirement. King retired with 19,665 points in 874 games, for an average of 22.5 points per game during his career. At the time of his retirement, King ranked 16th on the all-time NBA scoring list. He is, as of February 2007, ranked 22nd.

Bernard King's career point total of 19,665 ranks him 31st in total scoring in NBA history, as of September 2006. Of the 30 players with more career points, only George Gervin, Bob Pettit and Elgin Baylor played fewer games than King.
His 32.9 points per game average in '84-85 is the 21st highest single-season scoring average of all time.
His career scoring average of 22.5 points per game is the 23rd highest all time, as of May 2006.
Bernard King is currently 28th on the all-time field goals made list, with 7,830.
One of 19 NBA players to score 60 or more points in one game.
Recorded eight games of scoring 50 or more points.
Had college jersey number retired.
Had second longest streak of beating the Kentucky Wildcats (5 straight).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_King



 

DaTPRiNCE

The Knicks are Back
not only should his number be retired he should go to the hall of fame as well....Starks should have his jersey retired as well, #3 will always be remembered as Starks number.
 

LeFlume

All Star
I disagree. I don't think he accomplished enough as a Knick. He only played 5 seasons in New York. 1 season was cut short of injuries. A great player no doubt, but to be up there with Ewing and Clyde, you gotta do something very special for your franchise. King wasen't here long enough for that to happen. We gotta be very careful of whom we put up next to the great Patrick Ewing. There are better candidates than Bernard King who did more for The Knicks that are not up there.
 

JayJ44

Starter
I disagree. I don't think he accomplished enough as a Knick. He only played 5 seasons in New York. 1 season was cut short of injuries. A great player no doubt, but to be up there with Ewing and Clyde, you gotta do something very special for your franchise. King wasen't here long enough for that to happen. We gotta be very careful of whom we put up next to the great Patrick Ewing. There are better candidates than Bernard King who did more for The Knicks that are not up there.

He was the greatest scorer in Knick history. He previously held the record for most points in a single game (before Kobe broke it). If it was not for that injury, him and Patrick Ewing would have won a championship. He shouldn't be denied the honor he deserves, just because an unfortunate injury shortened his career in NY. Who deserves it more than the King of NY?

And I agree, Prince. He should go to the Hall of Fame too. I believe he's a finalist this year. We'll see if he gets in. :crossfingers:
 

LeFlume

All Star
Starks, Houston, Oakley, they all have more years in a Knick uniform than King. To go up in the rafter and be there forever. You gotta be the face of the franchise for many years. Not just a scorer for 4 years and then you gone. It's not right to history nor the future, He is a great player and he was great as a Knicks. But he didn't put in enough time to be remembered as New York thru and thru. He played 5 years in NY and 10 elsewere..I don't think it's right
 

JayJ44

Starter
Starks, Houston, Oakley, they all have more years in a Knick uniform than King. To go up in the rafter and be there forever. You gotta be the face of the franchise for many years. Not just a scorer for 4 years and then you gone. It's not right to history nor the future, He is a great player and he was great as a Knicks. But he didn't put in enough time to be remembered as New York thru and thru. He played 5 years in NY and 10 elsewere..I don't think it's right

The amount of time that a player spent on the team shouldn't have that much to do with it. Bernard King was the face of the franchise while he was here, and he carried this team at times in the playoffs. His time here meant the same, and was just as profound, as Starks, Houston, or Oakley. If he was "just a scorer for 4 years" then we probably wouldn't even remember him today. Bernard King was one of our greatest players, and his jersey deserves to be up in the rafters.
 

Ewing

Benchwarmer
I want Starks and Oakley up there, because they did a lot for this organization and for many years, they were special and true new yorkers.
But since a lot of guys wore their jerseys after their retirement, I don't think it will happen. It makes me sick to see a fat ass like Curry wearing n?34, it's an insult to Oakley.
 

LeFlume

All Star
I respect your opinion Jay. I just don't agree. There are other way's to honor him than retire his number in an arena he only played 30% of his career. They can have a Bernard King day every year or something. But his jersey should not be up there. It should be more special than that to go up in the rafter at MSG. Just my opinion. No offense to all Bernard King fans :beer:
 

JayJ44

Starter
I respect your opinion Jay. I just don't agree. There are other way's to honor him than retire his number in an arena he only played 30% of his career. They can have a Bernard King day every year or something. But his jersey should not be up there. It should be more special than that to go up in the rafter at MSG. Just my opinion. No offense to all Bernard King fans :beer:
To each his own....
 

StreetDreams21

I got Soul
Yo, i think unless you win at least three rings in 4 seasons you don't deserve it.

If he spent like, 4 more seasons with us averaging the same PPG he did, with Ewing, maybe i'd consider it.

Retire Starks and Houston. #3 and #20.
 
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