Albert King (basketball) facts for kids
King playing with the Fort Hamilton High School varsity team in 1974–75
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 17, 1959 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Maryland (1977–1981) |
| NBA Draft | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the New Jersey Nets | |
| Pro career | 1981–1991 |
| Career history | |
| 1981–1987 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1987–1988 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1988–1989 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1989 | Olimpia Milano |
| 1990 | Hapoel Holon |
| 1990–1991 | Albany Patroons |
| 1991 | Washington Bullets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,470 (12.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,262 (4.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,171 (2.2 apg) |
Albert King, born on December 17, 1959, is a former professional basketball player from America. He is the younger brother of Bernard King, who is a famous NBA scoring champion and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Albert played basketball at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, New York. Many people thought he was one of the best high school players ever. During his senior year, he was even ranked higher than future NBA stars like Magic Johnson.
Albert was a guard and forward who stood 6 feet 6 inches tall. He played college basketball at the University of Maryland. In the 1981 NBA draft, the New Jersey Nets picked him as the 10th overall player. He played for nine seasons in the NBA with four different teams.
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Early Life and High School Success
Albert grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and went to Fort Hamilton High School. He was a very talented player there. In 1977, he was chosen for the very first McDonald's All-American team. This team played in a special game called the Capital Classic.
College Basketball Career
Becoming ACC Player of the Year
During the 1979–80 college basketball season, Albert was named the best player in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). This is a big honor for college athletes. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine twice in 1980.
Memorable Moments and Honors
One of his most exciting moments in the ACC was a powerful dunk over Duke center Mike Gminski. This happened during a home game at Cole Field House when Duke was the top-ranked team in the country. Albert led his team in scoring that night, helping Maryland defeat Duke 101–82.
The Maryland basketball program honored his jersey number, 55, to recognize his contributions. In 2002, Albert King was named one of the fifty greatest players in ACC history. This was part of the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the NBA
Albert King played for nine seasons in the NBA. He was part of four different teams: the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Bullets. His best years in the NBA were with the New Jersey Nets, from 1981 to 1987.
During the 1982–83 season, he played in 79 games. He averaged 17.0 points and 3.7 assists per game. In his entire NBA career, Albert played in 534 games and scored a total of 6,470 points.
Playing Overseas
After his time with the NBA, Albert also played basketball in other countries.
Winning a Championship in Italy
At the end of the 1988–89 season, he joined Olimpia Milano in the Italian Basketball League. He helped his team win the championship title. In the final game, he scored 22 points, which was his highest score that season. He played alongside famous players like Bob McAdoo and Mike D'Antoni.
Playing in Israel
In the second half of the 1989–90 season, Albert played for Hapoel Holon in the Israeli Basketball League. In just 11 games, he averaged 22.8 points per game. This included a 23-point game against a strong team called Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Return to the United States
Albert also played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1990–1991 season. He played for the Albany Patroons, who were coached by George Karl. He was named the CBA Newcomer of the Year for his great performance.
In September 1991, he returned to the NBA and signed with the Washington Bullets. He played in 6 games for them, averaging 5.2 points per game, before leaving the team in November.
Personal Life
Albert King is the younger brother of Bernard King, another famous NBA player. They both grew up in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn. Albert also had two older brothers who played college basketball: Thomas for West Virginia Wesleyan and Ronald for Miami Dade Junior College.
Albert King is also one of the main people featured in Rick Telander's well-known book, Heaven is a Playground. After his basketball career, Albert opened several Wendy's restaurants.
