Knicks By The Numbers: 26-30; Bernard King Day!

Part six of Knicks By The Numbers is here with a somewhat smaller than usual list. While few have worn jersey numbers in this range, one of the greatest and most exciting Knicks of all time takes center stage at number 30. Due to the lack of players that qualify for the list, we will make part six a one page article instead of the usual slide show format.

Make sure to catch up on any section you missed starting with numbers 0-5. You can find Parts 1-5 listed below.

Part 1: Knicks By The Numbers: 0-5

Part 2: Knicks By The Numbers: 6-10

Part 3: Knicks By The Numbers: 11-15

Part 4: Knicks By The Numbers: 16-20

Part 5: Knicks By The Numbers: 21-25

Eddie didn’t have a Knicks picture…

26 – Eddie Mast – (1970-72) – This is where the numbers can get thin…. The Knicks drafted Mast when the NIT, held at the Garden was a great scouting ground (Picked Walt Frazier off his NIT performance as well). Mast led Temple to the NIT championship with a dominant 23 point, 22 rebound performance in the Championship. Mast was part of 2 very good Knick teams, but rarely got off the bench for meaningful minutes.

Honorable Mention – Shannon Brown – (2014) – Yes, this is REALLY thin… But Brown gets a mention based on his willingness to attend the Knicks summer league this year and assist Derek Fisher in teaching the triangle to the younger Knicks. Although the highlights were few and far between with the Knicks, he was one of the more ferocious dunkers:

27 – Never Been Worn

28 – Andrew Lang – (2000) – Lang played 19 games with the Knicks, averaging 3 points and 2 rebounds off the bench. But, Lang is well known by Knick fans. While playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, Lang undercut Patrick Ewing on an alley-oop attempt. Attempting to brace his fall, Ewing dislocated and tore ligaments in his right wrist, ending his season after just 26 games. Ewing was never the same shooter after the injury, shooting 53% before the injury and 44% after. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvE7wevwf1I

Honorable Mention – No other Knick has worn #28

29 – Never Been Worn

He truly was the King of New York

30 – Bernard King – (1982-87) – Hall of Famer King was very similar to Carmelo Anthony (King is Carmelo’s idol – a nice comparison video), but with an injury history like Amar’e Stoudemire. One of the all-time great scorers in the NBA, King averaged 27 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in his injury filled, All Star seasons with the Knicks. But, in the midst of his prime (league leading 33 points per game when he got hurt), King suffered a torn ACL, which at the time, was an injury that no NBA player had ever returned. Determined to return to dominance, King became somewhat of a recluse, choosing to rehab on his own, alienating Knick management. He finally came back more than 2 years after the surgery, playing 6 games for the Knicks and scored 23/game during that time. The Knicks chose not to resign King. King signed with the Wizards and came all the way back to his All Star level, averaging 28/game in 1991.

While injuries were certainly part of Kings career (he played over 70 games just 7 times in 15 seasons), what King did on the court was special. King’s exploits with the Knicks included scoring 60 on Christmas day, which was a Knick record for 30 years until Carmelo went for 62 this past season.

King was also a tremendous playoff performer, averaging 35 a game in the Knicks 1984 playoff run, with multiple 40 points games against the Isiah Thomas led Piston, and the Larry Bird led Celtics, including this classic Game 6 duel:

Honorable Mention – Earl Barron – (2010, 2013) – Of course there haven’t been many #30’s, but somehow Earl Barron got to wear Bernard King’s jersey. In 2 short stints with the Knicks, Barron has averaged 11.6 points and 11.9 rebounds. How has he never been able to stick when Cole Aldrich still has a job?

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