Bernard King (basketball, born 1981) facts for kids

Victor Bernard King Jr. (born in Gibsland, Louisiana, on July 24, 1981) is an American professional basketball player. He played for many teams during his career, including UJAP Quimper 29 in France. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for Texas A&M University.

Bernard King set many records in the Big 12 Conference and at Texas A&M. He became the top scorer in the history of the Big 12 conference. He also ranked third for all-time career assists in the league. At Texas A&M, he was first in points and three-point shots made. He was also second in assists.

Bernard's Early Life and Basketball Journey

Bernard King was born in Gibsland, Louisiana. His father, Victor King, was also a basketball player. Victor played for Louisiana Tech University and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. From a very young age, Bernard loved basketball. He would go to the gym with his dad and wanted to play too.

Starting Young: Basketball Camps and AAU

When Bernard was eight, his parents took him to basketball camps. These camps were run by Louisiana Tech and the Dallas Mavericks. The people running the camps quickly saw that Bernard was much better than other kids his age. They suggested he play in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). This league is for young athletes.

By the time he was in eighth grade, Bernard was playing with older high school students. In one game, he got a chance to play when another guard had to leave. Bernard made three three-pointers in a row! This helped his team win the game. When he was 14, he played on an AAU team for 17-year-olds. He scored six three-pointers in a state playoff game. His team then went on to win a national championship.

High School Success and Academic Focus

Bernard played on the varsity team all four years at Gibsland-Coleman Complex High School. During this time, his team had an amazing record of 143 wins and 34 losses. He scored over 4,000 points in his high school career. He also had more than 1,000 rebounds and 1,348 assists.

In his senior year, Bernard was outstanding. He averaged almost 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists per game. He also had many steals and blocks. He led his team to the state championship, which was their first since 1984. Bernard earned honors like 1998 AAU All-America. He was also named Louisiana Mr. Basketball. Even with all his basketball, Bernard worked hard in school. He graduated with a high GPA of 3.8.

Choosing a College Team

Many colleges wanted Bernard to play for them. Some of these included Purdue University, University of Minnesota, and LSU. However, Bernard chose to go to Texas A&M University. He wanted to play for coach Melvin Watkins. Bernard hoped to help improve the basketball program there.

Bernard's College Basketball Career

Bernard King had a fantastic college career at Texas A&M. He made a big impact from his very first year.

Freshman Year Highlights

As a freshman, Bernard started every game. He averaged almost 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. He led his team in scoring, assists, and three-point shots. He was also second in rebounds and steals. Bernard set a Big 12 freshman record for scoring average. He was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. In one game against Colorado, he scored a career-high 34 points. He also had 30 points and 10 rebounds against Nebraska.

Sophomore and Junior Seasons

In his second year, Bernard continued to play well. He averaged 18 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. He was one of only a few players in the country to achieve such high numbers. He scored a season-high 31 points against Missouri. He also tied a school record by making 8 three-pointers in one game.

During his junior year, Bernard was one of the top players in the Big 12. He was among the top ten in both scoring and assists. He also achieved a "triple-double" against Texas Tech. This means he had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in one game. He almost had another triple-double against Long Beach State.

Senior Year and Leaving a Legacy

In his senior year, Bernard averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. He earned a second team All-Big 12 honor. He scored 29 points and had 7 assists against Missouri. He also had 27 points and 7 assists against Oklahoma State.

When Bernard left Texas A&M, he was the top scorer in Big 12 conference history. He was also third in the league for all-time career assists. He led the Aggies in scoring and assists for all four of his seasons. He is still first in points and three-point shots made for Texas A&M. He is also second in assists.

Bernard's Professional Basketball Career

After college, Bernard King began his professional basketball journey. He played for many teams in different countries around the world.

Playing Overseas

In 2003–2004, Bernard played for Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He averaged 12.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game there. Later, he played for the Huntsville Flight in the Development-League. He then finished the season in France with ASVEL.

Bernard continued to play for various teams. He signed with Bnei HaSharon in Israel in 2006. In October 2007, he joined Strasbourg IG in France. In 2008, he played for Mersin BŞB. S.K. in Turkey.

Championships and Later Career

Bernard then moved to BK Ventspils in Latvia. There, he helped his team win the Latvian Championship in 2009. In the final game, he scored 20 points, had 9 assists, and 9 rebounds. For the 2009–10 season, Bernard signed with APOEL B.C. in Cyprus. He is known as one of the few European players to average over 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game throughout his career.

In January 2012, he signed with SLUC Nancy Basket in France. In July 2013, he joined BC Donetsk in Ukraine. In April 2015, he signed with Chorale Roanne Basket in France. On January 24, 2018, Bernard signed with UJAP Quimper 29, also in France, where he continued to play until 2019.