University of Tennessee Athletics
1975-76 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
King, Bernard
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Jersey Number 53
Bernard King
- Height:
- 6-7
- Weight:
- null
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Brooklyn, N.Y.
- High School:
- Fort Hamilton High School
Bio
Tennessee's only male representative in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Bernard King is considered one of the greatest players in Southeastern Conference history. Though he turned pro after only three seasons as a Vol, he and UT teammate Ernie Grunfeld combined to form the well-known All-American duo dubbed "The Ernie & Bernie Show." King was selected by the New Jersey Nets with the seventh overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft and played 14 seasons in the NBA (he missed two full seasons due to injuries) with New Jersey, Utah, Golden State, New York and Washington. He was a four-time NBA All-Star and a two-time first-team All-NBA selection. He is one of only four Tennessee basketball players (and the very first) to have his jersey retired, as his No. 53 was honored on Feb. 13, 2007.
Additional Post-Tennessee Honors: Named to the Lakeland Ledger's 25-Year All-SEC Team in 1986 ... Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 ... Selected as an SEC Legend in 2008 ... Named to UT Basketball All-Century Team in 2009 ... Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013 ... Inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
Additional Post-Tennessee Honors: Named to the Lakeland Ledger's 25-Year All-SEC Team in 1986 ... Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 ... Selected as an SEC Legend in 2008 ... Named to UT Basketball All-Century Team in 2009 ... Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013 ... Inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
CAREER HIGHS
- Points: 43 // vs. Florida, 1/17/1976
- Rebounds: 23 // vs. Biscayne, 11/29/1975
- Field Goals: 19 // vs. Florida, 1/17/1976
HONORS
- 1977 NCAA Consensus All-American
- 1977 AP Co-SEC Player of the Year (shared with teammate Ernie Grunfeld)
- 1977 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, UPI)
- 1976 First-Team All-American (Helms Athletic Foundation, USBWA)
- 1976 Second-Team All-American (Converse, UPI)
- 1976 Third-Team All-American (AP, NABC)
- 1976 SEC Player of the Year (AP, UPI)
- 1976 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, UPI)
- 1975 First-Team All-American (Helms Athletic Foundation)
- 1975 Second-Team All-American (Basketball Weekly, Converse, UPI)
- 1975 Third Team All-American (NABC)
- 1975 SEC Player of the Year (UPI)
- 1975 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, UPI)
1976-77 - JUNIOR
- Finished his career ranking second all-time in UT history with 1,962 career points and 1,004 rebounds.
- His 1,962 career points are the most ever by any Vol who played fewer than four seasons.
- With 1,004 in his career, he remains one of only two Vols to reach the 1,000-rebound mark, trailing only Gene Tormohlen (1,113 from 1956-59).
- His career average of 13.2 rebounds is the second-best single-season mark in school history.
- Averaged a double-double in all three of his collegiate seasons, with career averages of 25.8 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
- Had 26 games with 30 or more points, which remains a program record.
- His 22 career double-doubles remain as a school record.
- Led the SEC with 25.8 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.
- Helped lead the Vols to the 1977 SEC Championship with a 22-6 overall record and a 16-2 mark in league play.
- His 25.8 points per game as a junior is second on UT’s all-time single-season list (trailing his own average of 26.4 ppg as a freshman).
- Averaged a career-best 14.3 rebounds per game, which remains the fourth-best single-season average in school history.
- Propelled Tennessee to the 1977 NCAA Tournament, where the Vols fell to a Syracuse team led by a first-year head coach named Jim Boeheim.
1975-76 - SOPHOMORE
- Along with teammate Ernie Grunfeld, he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated on Feb. 9, 1976.
- His 43 points on 19 made field goals in UT's home win over Florida (1/17/1976) both would stand as career-highs.
- His career-best rebounding effort came in UT's win over Biscayne (11/29/1975), when he pulled down 23 boards.
- Helped power the Vols to an appearance in the 1976 NCAA Tournament.
1974-75 - FRESHMAN
- Led the SEC with 26.4 points per game as a freshman, a mark that still stands as Tennessee's single-season scoring average record.
- In his first collegiate game, he erupted for 42 points as the Vols defeated Wisconsin-Milwaukee (11/30/1974).
HIGH SCHOOL
- Graduated from Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton High School in 1974, where he was coached by Ken Kern.
PERSONAL
- Full name is Bernard King
- Born Dec. 4, 1956, in Brooklyn, New York
- Academic major: Communications
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