Jump to content

Albert King (basketball)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Albert King
King playing with theFort Hamilton High Schoolvarsity team in 1974–75
Personal information
Born(1959-12-17)December 17, 1959(age 64)
Brooklyn, New York,U.S.
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolFort Hamilton(Brooklyn, New York)
CollegeMaryland(1977–1981)
NBA draft1981:1st round, 10th overall pick
Selected by theNew Jersey Nets
Playing career1981–1991
PositionSmall forward/shooting guard
Number55, 17, 15
Career history
1981–1987New Jersey Nets
1987–1988Philadelphia 76ers
1988–1989San Antonio Spurs
1989Olimpia Milano
1990Hapoel Holon
1990–1991Albany Patroons
1991Washington Bullets
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points6,470 (12.1 ppg)
Rebounds2,262 (4.2 rpg)
Assists1,171 (2.2 apg)
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat NBA.com
StatsEdit this at Wikidataat Basketball-Reference.com

Albert King(born December 17, 1959) is an American former professionalbasketballplayer. The younger brother of former NBA scoring champion,Hall of FamerBernard King,Albert played atFort Hamilton High Schoolin Brooklyn and is regarded as one of the nation's greatest high school players of all time. He was rated the top prep player in the nation overMagic JohnsonandGene Banksduring his senior year. A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) guard-forward from theUniversity of Maryland,King was selected by theNew Jersey Netsin the first round (10th overall) of the1981 NBA draft.King played in nine NBA seasons for four teams.[1][2]

Early life

[edit]

King attendedFort Hamilton High SchoolinBrooklyn,New York.[3]He was named to the inauguralMcDonald's All-Americanteam, which played in the 1977Capital Classic.[4][5]

College career

[edit]

In the 1979–80 college season, King was named theACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year.He appeared on the cover ofSports Illustratedtwice during the 1980 season.[6]One of the highlights of his ACC career was a thundering dunk over Duke centerMike Gminskiduring a Maryland home game atCole Field House.Dukewas the first-seeded team in the nation at the time, and King went on to lead the Terrapins in scoring that night and helped defeat the Blue Devils 101–82.[7]His no. 55 jersey was honored by theMaryland basketball program.In 2002, King was named to theACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball teamas one of the fifty greatest players inAtlantic Coast Conferencehistory.

Professional career

[edit]

King played in nine NBA seasons for four teams. He played for theNew Jersey Nets,Philadelphia 76ers,San Antonio SpursandWashington Bullets.King's best years as a professional came during his playing days with the Nets from 1981 to 1987. During the1982–83 season,he appeared in 79 games and averaged 17.0 points per game and 3.7 assists per game. In his NBA career, he played in 534 games and scored a total of 6,470 points.

At the end of the 1988–89 season, he was signed byOlimpia Milanoof theItalian Basketball League[8]to replaceBilly Martin.InMilanhe played the last two games of the regular season and the following 12 of the postseason. Alongside some very experienced players such asBob McAdoo,Mike D'AntoniandDino Meneghin,he gave an essential contribution for winning the title in a very contested last game of the finals, scoring a season-high 22 points.

During the second half of the 1989–90 season, King played forHapoel Holonof theIsraeli Basketball League.[8]In just 11 games he scored an average of 22.8 points per game including a 23-point game against Israeli powerhouseMaccabi Tel Aviv.The team finished the season in the seventh place and King left.

King spent the 1990–1991 season playing in theContinental Basketball Associationwith theAlbany Patroons,coached byGeorge Karl,[9][10]where he was named theCBA Newcomer of the Year.

He returned to the NBA again in September 1991, when he signed with theWashington Bullets.[11]He was waived by the Bullets in November after appearing in 6 games where he averaged 5.2 points per game.

Personal life

[edit]

He is the younger brother of former NBA scoring champion,Bernard King.[12][13]They grew up in theFort Greeneneighborhood ofBrooklyn.[14]Two of his older brothers also played college basketball, Thomas for West Virginia Wesleyan and Ronald for Miami Dade Junior College.[15]

He is also one of the central personalities in Rick Telander's acclaimed bookHeaven is a Playground.[6]

In the 1990s, he hostedNets Slammin' PlanetwithEvan Roberts,Brandon Scoop B RobinsonandChris Carrino.[16]

Following his basketball career, King opened severalWendy'srestaurants.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Former NBA Star Albert King Succeeding In Business After Basketball".Observer-Dispatch.November 8, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  2. ^"Part 2 - Life After NBA And Working With Wendy's - Albert King's Story".Observer-Dispatch.November 10, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  3. ^Kent Hannon (February 7, 1977)."Everybody is courting the King".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  4. ^"The Origin of the McDonalds All American Game".ESPN.February 26, 2003.RetrievedApril 3,2023.
  5. ^"Prep Al-America revealed".The Herald Journal.March 20, 1977. p. 14.RetrievedApril 3,2023– viaNewspapers.com.
  6. ^abSeth Davis (March 17, 1997)."Catching up with...Maryland forward Albert King - March 17, 1980".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  7. ^Dunleavy, Kevin (January 8, 2011)."Top 10: Maryland wins over Duke".Washington Examiner.RetrievedAugust 23,2018.
  8. ^abSandra McKee (July 17, 1990)."Albert King happy to get high-caliber Bullet shot".The Evening Sun.pp. C1,C6.RetrievedJanuary 11,2024– viaNewspapers.com.Open access icon
  9. ^Bob Sansevere (July 26, 1991)."Albert King hopes for NBA comeback like his brother".The Indianapolis Star.p. D7.RetrievedJanuary 11,2024– viaNewspapers.com.Open access icon
  10. ^Ken Denlinger (March 28, 1991)."Albert King time's of the essence".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 11,2024.
  11. ^"Back again".Winston-Salem Journal.Associated Press.November 7, 1991. p. 22.RetrievedJanuary 11,2024– viaNewspapers.com.Open access icon
  12. ^Roy S., Johnson (November 9, 1982)."Sibling Rivalry in the N.B.A."The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 23,2018.
  13. ^TenleyAnn Jackson (February 13, 1983)."Two NBA Kings: Brothers First".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  14. ^Sullivan, Sady (November 4, 2009)."Oral History Interview with Albert King"(PDF).brooklynhistory.org.RetrievedAugust 23,2018.I grew up in an area called Fort Greene, New York. I mean, Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
  15. ^Al Harvin (June 9, 1981)."Albert King ready and eager to make own name in pros".The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024.
  16. ^"He's Scoop, He Scores, the Journey of Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson".Front Office Sports.RetrievedMay 14,2018.
  17. ^Jeff Roberts (June 8, 2011)."He knows when it's real".The Record.p. S6.RetrievedJanuary 9,2024– viaNewspapers.com.Open access icon
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albert_King_(basketball)&oldid=1233021192"