Happy Birthday Bernard King

#4
#4
ZZ13 said:
Little known fact that when he scored 42 points in his first game at Tennessee, he was still only 17.
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Only saw Bernie play in person, a few days after his birthday in 1976. I was in Stokely to cover the game against Duke for a NC newspaper. Still trying to find the box score but I was so stunned that I put wrong day of the week in lede and interviewed Jim Spanarkel afterward. Gmniski was a freshman, and it was before the days of Gene Banks, Coach K and the explosion that followed.

But that was a painful season , and I recall being off the day of Syracuse game in tourney. Still have Bernie & Ernie SI cover but don't think my son (whose more of an NBA fan) can comprehend how dynamic they were together.

Vols have losing record against Devils and I was surprised to see today that they beat Duke in Cameron in 75
 
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#8
#8
Was fortunate enough to grow up watching Ernie and Bernie. Some of my best basketball memories for sure. Stokley Athletics Center was rocking with 12,700 Fans back in those days. Bernard is without a doubt the best player to ever wear a UT jersey and arguably the best ever to play in the SEC
 
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#9
#9
Live in Dallas now, but lived in Nashville at the time. I first became a basketball fan by listening to Vols on the radio when Bernard was playing. There was much less TV viewing of Vol games at that time. I remember the first game and I was hooked! In my opinion, King was the greatest player at any level to ever play the game. Gives me chills to this day remembering John Ward announcing "King shoots....bottoms"!!
 
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#10
#10
ArdentVol said:
Only saw Bernie play in person, a few days after his birthday in 1976. I was in Stokely to cover the game against Duke for a NC newspaper. Still trying to find the box score but I was so stunned that I put wrong day of the week in lede and interviewed Jim Spanarkel afterward. Gmniski was a freshman, and it was before the days of Gene Banks, Coach K and the explosion that followed.

But that was a painful season , and I recall being off the day of Syracuse game in tourney. Still have Bernie & Ernie SI cover but don't think my son (whose more of an NBA fan) can comprehend how dynamic they were together.

Vols have losing record against Devils and I was surprised to see today that they beat Duke in Cameron in 75
Click to expand...
As good as the team was, considering the wins (NCAA final four UNC-Charlotte, UK twice, Bama twice), three of the four regular season losses made no sense. A 14-13 Duke team at home, that lost 12 of their last 16. And bottom of the conference Georgia and Florida.
 
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#11
#11
hlee said:
Live in Dallas now, but lived in Nashville at the time. I first became a basketball fan by listening to Vols on the radio when Bernard was playing. There was much less TV viewing of Vol games at that time. I remember the first game and I was hooked! In my opinion, King was the greatest player at any level to ever play the game. Gives me chills to this day remembering John Ward announcing "King shoots....bottoms"!!
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"KIIIINNNG of the Volunteers!":)
 
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#12
#12
I'm curious as to what most fans think of the comparison of King to Pete Maravich. Obviously two totally different players, but I have always maintained that Bernard was the most talented player I ever saw play. If you were fortunate to watch Maravich, he could do things with the basketball that were mind-blowing and he scored boatloads of points. But who was the best player and which player would you have? For my money, it would be King, but I am biased.
 
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#13
#13
I want to hear an analysis on King from a non-UT fan who actually saw him play. The tone of the anecdotes I read here scream nostalgia...
 
#15
#15
Easily one of the best college players I have ever seen and on the first team All-SEC of all time. I was a youngster during the Ernie & Bernie show. In a handful of the best back to the basket 6’7 players or under NBA player ever. (Barkley, Dantley). His turnaround release was so quick he was undaunted by much taller and bigger players. And few were better finishing from the wing off a fast break. (Save perhaps James Worthy or Karl Malone). He was relentless.

King walked into the NBA and averaged 24 per game as a rookie. The 5 years he played prior to mangling his knee, he FG% was just incredible. 5 years after he destroyed his knee he averaged 28 pt game. He was just an offensive machine, who also defended and was a decent rebounder.
 
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#16
#16
cardvolfan said:
I'm curious as to what most fans think of the comparison of King to Pete Maravich. Obviously two totally different players, but I have always maintained that Bernard was the most talented player I ever saw play. If you were fortunate to watch Maravich, he could do things with the basketball that were mind-blowing and he scored boatloads of points. But who was the best player and which player would you have? For my money, it would be King, but I am biased.
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The best player was BK. But PM would put more butts in the seat, especially in today’s game. Imo
 
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#19
#19
Namorto1 said:
Easily one of the best college players I have ever seen and on the first team All-SEC of all time. I was a youngster during the Ernie & Bernie show. In a handful of the best back to the basket 6’7 players or under NBA player ever. (Barkley, Dantley). His turnaround release was so quick he was undaunted by much taller and bigger players. And few were better finishing from the wing off a fast break. (Save perhaps James Worthy or Karl Malone). He was relentless.

King walked into the NBA and averaged 24 per game as a rookie. The 5 years he played prior to mangling his knee, he FG% was just incredible. 5 years after he destroyed his knee he averaged 28 pt game. He was just an offensive machine, who also defended and was a decent rebounder.
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Yes, and great comparisons to Dantley, Worthy, Etc.
 
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#20
#20
Christmas Day 1984. Bernard King (of the Volunteers!) scored 60 points, which at that time was a new Madison Square Garden scoring record. He went 19-30 from the field and 22-26 from the free throw line. He made an assortment of lightning-quick, in-your-face turnaround jumpers that to this day still mesmerize me.
 
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#21
#21
ArdentVol said:
Only saw Bernie play in person, a few days after his birthday in 1976. I was in Stokely to cover the game against Duke for a NC newspaper. Still trying to find the box score but I was so stunned that I put wrong day of the week in lede and interviewed Jim Spanarkel afterward. Gmniski was a freshman, and it was before the days of Gene Banks, Coach K and the explosion that followed.

But that was a painful season , and I recall being off the day of Syracuse game in tourney. Still have Bernie & Ernie SI cover but don't think my son (whose more of an NBA fan) can comprehend how dynamic they were together.

Vols have losing record against Devils and I was surprised to see today that they beat Duke in Cameron in 75
Click to expand...
Vols blasted Duke, in the early to mid 80's, in the Sugar Bowl Classic, in the Super dome. Gary Carter, Dale Ellis and that crew.
 
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#22
#22
No arguments. You'd better put King somewhere on your team, and on the court. He was a match up nightmare. Too strong for a small forward, too quick and agile for a power forward. Good with the ball in his hands, and just as good getting open, without it. He would eat guy's lunch in any decade of BBall.
"Bernard King was money!"
Magic Johnson

 
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#23
#23
kbear01 said:
No arguments. You'd better put King somewhere on your team, and on the court. He was a match up nightmare. Too strong for a small forward, too quick and agile for a power forward. Good with the ball in his hands, and just as good getting open, without it. He would eat guy's lunch in any decade of BBall.
"Bernard King was money!"r
Magic Johnson

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anybody remember if Vols had shot at his youngeer brother?

saw him play a lot while ilived in ACC land. Worst memory was against vols in greensboro in regionals.
was sitting on floor and Lefty D yelled something to Devoe about how Terps blistered his backside
 
#24
#24
ArdentVol said:
anybody remember if Vols had shot at his youngeer brother?

saw him play a lot while ilived in ACC land. Worst memory was against vols in greensboro in regionals.
was sitting on floor and Lefty D yelled something to Devoe about how Terps blistered his backside
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Not much of a shot with Albert. Mears and Stu were gone and things did not end well off the court for Bernard in Knoxville. Even worse than AK, Maryland ended up stealing John Johnson from Devoe’s back yard.
 
#25
#25
Thunder Good-Oil said:
Not much of a shot with Albert. Mears and Stu were gone and things did not end well off the court for Bernard in Knoxville. Even worse than AK, Maryland ended up stealing John Johnson from Devoe’s back yard.
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John Johnson from Bearden, he was a senior when I was a freshman. I never played against him, but saw him hoop Fulton out, in an in-school game, iIrc. Was a pretty good player for Lefty until after Bias went pro, never really did anything after that, at Maryland
 
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