SerpApi.Org
When modern-day fans see Bernard King sitting courtside, cheering on the New York Knicks, many remember him simply as the superstar who spent his prime in New York and nearly won an MVP award in a Knicks uniform.
What often gets overlooked, however, is the resilience he displayed after a devastating injury threatened to derail his career.
The four-time All-Star suffered a torn ACL in his right knee on March 23, 1985, while playing against the Kansas City Kings. At the time, it was regarded as one of the most severe knee injuries; the timing made it seem even more horrid.
King was in the middle of his career-best season, where he was averaging a league-leading 32.9 points per game and was firmly amongst the MVP frontrunners (after previously finishing as the runner-up in 1984) before that injury cost him almost two entire campaigns.
But when "B" finally decided to return, his determination and courage to still own the big stage left a lasting impression on Detroit "Bad Boys" Pistons coach Chuck Daly, who was mesmerized by a player being stopped by such a devious injury.
King returned as if he had never left
Making his comeback late in the 1986-87 season, King understandably looked rusty in his first game back, as he scored just seven points of 2-of-8 shooting from the field against the Milwaukee Bucks - a contest in which the Knicks lost 132-93.
However, just days later, against the Detroit Pistons on April 15, King reminded everyone exactly who he was.
Despite the Knicks trailing by 20 points in the first half, King erupted for a game-high 30 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, leading New York's furious comeback attempt and giving the Pistons a genuine scare before they escaped with a four-point victory.
But the bigger picture was how Daly came away impressed, recognizing that King's willingness to battle through adversity was every bit as remarkable as his scoring ability.
"He's courageous," Daly said. "It's great for basketball. Anybody who works that hard deserves everything he gets."
King became even more comfortable
That performance appeared to restore King's confidence.
In the very next game against the Washington Bullets, he poured in 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field despite another Knicks loss.
He then closed the regular season by scoring his season-best 31 points while playing 45 minutes against the Cavaliers in Cleveland, showing that he was steadily regaining both his endurance and rhythm.
Sure, B never returned to his All-NBA, MVP-caliber heights that he had reached before the ACL injury, but his comeback demonstrated a level of perseverance that stats alone cannot capture.
Rather than allowing one of basketball's most devastating injuries to define his legacy, he fought his way back and continued producing at an elite level. Perhaps that mentality of not giving up remains one of the biggest reasons he is respected by so many old-school fanatics, even to this day.
An inspiring trajectory that many modern-day players who have lost their motivation can learn from.
