Albert King (basketball)
Albert King | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 17, 1959 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 1977–1991 |
| Known for | NBA player for New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Bullets; ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (1979–80) |
Albert King (born December 17, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball athlete and the younger sibling of NBA scoring leader and Hall of Fame inductee Bernard King. Excelling at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, he was nationally recognized as the top high school player during his senior year, surpassing notable peers such as Magic Johnson and Gene Banks. Measuring , King operated primarily as a guard-forward at the University of Maryland. In the 1981 NBA draft, he was chosen tenth overall in the first round by the New Jersey Nets. Throughout nine seasons in the NBA, King represented four different teams, establishing a commendable professional tenure.
Early life
King's formative years included attendance at Fort Hamilton High School located in Brooklyn, New York. He earned a place on the first-ever McDonald's All-American team and participated in the 1977 Capital Classic.
College career
During the 1979–80 collegiate season, King received the ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year award and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated twice. One memorable moment was his dunk over Duke center Mike Gminski at a home game for Maryland, which contributed to a commanding 101–82 victory against the top-ranked Blue Devils. His jersey bearing number 55 has been retired in honor by Maryland basketball. In 2002, King was selected for the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, recognizing him among the fifty greatest players in conference history.
Professional career
King's NBA career spanned nine seasons across four franchises: the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Bullets. His most productive period occurred with the Nets from 1981 to 1987, highlighted by an average of 17.0 points and 3.7 assists per game during the 1982–83 campaign. Over his entire NBA tenure, he participated in 534 games and accumulated a total of 6,470 points.
Following the conclusion of the 1988–89 NBA season, King signed with Italy’s Olimpia Milano to succeed Billy Martin. Teaming with experienced players such as Bob McAdoo, Mike D'Antoni, and Dino Meneghin, he played an instrumental role in securing the league championship, delivering a season-best 22 points in the final decisive match.
In the latter part of the 1989–90 season, King joined Israeli club Hapoel Holon competing in the Israeli Basketball League, where he averaged 22.8 points per game across 11 contests. His notable performance included a strong showing against powerhouse team Maccabi Tel Aviv. That season, Hapoel Holon concluded in seventh place.
For the 1990–91 season, King competed in the Continental Basketball Association with the Albany Patroons, under coach George Karl. His impressive play earned him the distinction of CBA Newcomer of the Year.
King made a brief return to NBA action in September 1991 by signing with the Washington Bullets. After participating in six games and averaging 5.2 points per contest, he was released from the roster in November.
Personal life
Albert King is the younger brother of former NBA scoring champion Bernard King. They were raised in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. Additionally, two elder brothers pursued collegiate basketball careers: Thomas at West Virginia Wesleyan and Ronald at Miami Dade Junior College.
King is profiled in Rick Telander's book Heaven is a Playground. During the 1990s, he co-hosted Nets Slammin' Planet alongside Evan Roberts, Brandon Scoop B Robinson, and Chris Carrino.
Following his retirement from professional basketball, King ventured into entrepreneurship by opening multiple Wendy's franchise locations.
External links
- Albert King NBA statistics available at Basketball-Reference