Bernard King

[Army_of_One_Nation]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

[Roy H.]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

At the same time, if you make Worthy the #1 option on a borderline playoff team I'm sure most of his "counting" stats would have improved.

King was an amazing player, though.  How many small forwards, in any era, have had a season where they averaged 26 points per game on 57% shooting?

[EmilioBonilla]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

At the same time, if you make Worthy the #1 option on a borderline playoff team I'm sure most of his "counting" stats would have improved.

King was an amazing player, though.  How many small forwards, in any era, have had a season where they averaged 26 points per game on 57% shooting?

cough cough...Lebron James this year...

[CelticG1]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

At the same time, if you make Worthy the #1 option on a borderline playoff team I'm sure most of his "counting" stats would have improved.

King was an amazing player, though.  How many small forwards, in any era, have had a season where they averaged 26 points per game on 57% shooting?

cough cough...Lebron James this year...

But.....but.......

[Roy H.]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

At the same time, if you make Worthy the #1 option on a borderline playoff team I'm sure most of his "counting" stats would have improved.

King was an amazing player, though.  How many small forwards, in any era, have had a season where they averaged 26 points per game on 57% shooting?

cough cough...Lebron James this year...

Lebron, as great as he is, is "only" shooting 53%.  Also, of course, if Lebron retired today he'd be in the HOF.

Adrian Dantley is about the only other guy I can think of who put up numbers like that as a small forward (or, I guess more accurately, a hybrid forward).

[TripleOT]

Bernard King has the highest career PPG average of any player not in the HOF, save active guys and the recently retired (AI).

Peter Maravich is in the Halls with similar stats and Pistol Pete played mostly for losing teams (only 4 playoff years, 26 games total).

Bernard is a marginal HOF choice but he's got better individual stats than many of his era who played for better teams (Dumars, Worthy, DJ). I'd vote for him.  He certainly stacks up well against recent inductee Chris Mullin, and King actually has better numbers.   

[RebusRankin]

King should be in.

Ralph Sampson got in today, largely based on his college career and I'd say his first 3-4 NBA seasons. So if Sampson is in, why not Spencer Haywood if you count his college career, 68 Olympics, ABA season and his first 5-6 NBA seasons?

[GreenFaith1819]

I can't hate on Ralph Sampson, at all. When healthy, he was nearly unstoppable and unique with his skillset.

Congrats to him.

Loved watching him and Olajuwon decimate Kareem and LA back in 86...THAT was awesome...he should get in on THAT performance if nothing else.

I don't think I've EVER seen two bigs dominate the Lakers like that before. Kareem held his own, incredibly, but those two just overwhelmed him.

And then they met the REAL Big Three in the next round ....

But congrats to Ralph Sampson...well-deserved. I hope Bernard gets in soon, though.

[Neurotic Guy]

I am not one who cares very much about the hall of fame in any sport.  But, just as a gut reaction to this thread, I would have assumed Bernard King was in.  When I think about late 70's and 80', after I get past Bird and Magic, Bernard King is right up there in my memory.  He was not just a good scorer for a few years, he was a great scorer for a lot of years. He helped define his basketball generation so I think he is definitely worthy.

[Army_of_One_Nation]

@... Neurotic Guy, RebusRankin and GreenFaith1819: TP for the three of you. Can you imagine Reggie Miller had to wait out a year to get in? Sampson was good. Then he got injured. Too many deserving players don't make it, yet some borderline individuals do.

[slamtheking]

One thing that hurts Bernard King is that there is just so many SF/wings who could score in his era.  The list goes something like this:

Utmost Echelon
Larry Bird - HOF
Julius Erving - HOF

Top Tier
George Gervin - HOF
David Thompson - HOF
Dominque Wilkins - HOF
Alex English - HOF

Borderline Top Tier/2nd Tier
James Worthy - HOF
Adrian Dantley - HOF
Mark Aguirre
Kiki Vandeweghe
Bernard King
Walter Davis
Marques Johnson
Reggie Theus

2nd Tier
Mike Mitchell
Jamaal Wilkes
Kelly Tripucka
Purvis Short
Calvin Natt
Ricky Pierce
Dale Ellis
Xavier McDaniel

Next Generation
Scottie Pippen - HOF
Chris Mullin - HOF

2nd Tier Next Generation
Reggie Lewis
Danny Manning
Sean Elliot
Glen Rice
Jamal Mashburn
Glenn Robinson

not a lot to disagree with on this list but there is one glaring omission from the borderline top tier list -- Terry Cummings.  very gifted player selected between Worthy and Nique.

[bdm860]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kingbe01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/worthja01.html

I've attached a link to both player's stats. In terms of games played, Worthy played a total of 923 regular season games. King played 874. Longevity is not an issue in this case. It's a case of having the luck to play in Showtime versus playing for some teams that barely made it in the post season.

At the same time, if you make Worthy the #1 option on a borderline playoff team I'm sure most of his "counting" stats would have improved.

King was an amazing player, though.  How many small forwards, in any era, have had a season where they averaged 26 points per game on 57% shooting?

cough cough...Lebron James this year...

Lebron, as great as he is, is "only" shooting 53%.  Also, of course, if Lebron retired today he'd be in the HOF.

Adrian Dantley is about the only other guy I can think of who put up numbers like that as a small forward (or, I guess more accurately, a hybrid forward).

Just in King's era:

Kiki Vandeweghe did 26.7/55%, 29.4/56%
Walter Davis did 24.2/53%, 23.6/56%, 21.5/56%
Calvin Natt did 17.7/58%, 20.4/54%, 16.2/58%, 23.3/55%
Marques Johnson did 25.6/55%
James Worthy did 20.0/58%
Adrian Dantley did 28.0/58%, 30.7/56%, 30.3/57%, 30.7/58%, 30.6/56%, 29.8/56%
Julius Erving did 24.4/55%
Alex English did 25.4/55%
George Gervin did 27.2/54%, 29.6/54%, 33.1/53%

I mean King's numbers are definitely some of the best in the list I just dropped for combined ppg and fg%, but it's not that far out of the norm to consider it HOF worthy for a couple of good seasons I think.