Tennessee retires No. 53 of former star Bernard King

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Posted 7:51PM on Tuesday, February 13, 2007

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Former All-American and NBA All-Star Bernard King returned to Tennessee on Tuesday to have his number retired 30 years after he played his last game. King was a three-time Southeastern Conference player of the year while playing from 1974-77. He left after his junior year and went to the NBA, where he spent 14 years and scored 19,655 points an average of 22.5 points a game. ``It's not really about me tonight. It's about my teammates I played with because without my teammates this would not happen tonight,'' King said before the Volunteers played Kentucky. ``It's really honoring them. It's honoring (his coach) Ray Mears. It honors the accomplishments we had here as teammates and as players.'' A ceremony to retire his number was scheduled for halftime. King, who turned 50 in December, is the first men's basketball player to have his number retired at Tennessee. He wore No. 53 and teamed with Ernie Grunfeld at Tennessee as ``The Ernie Bernie Show.'' ``This is certainly the biggest night in basketball history since I've been here and one of our biggest ever,'' athletic director Mike Hamilton said. This was King's first official visit back to campus since his playing days, and he wanted to be here for Tennessee's game against No. 20 Kentucky. When asked why he hadn't been back in 30 years, King said: ``They never asked me. ... All they had to do was ask.'' Tennessee's rivalry with Kentucky thrived during King's days when he was coached by Mears. After losing at Rupp Arena 88-82 in his first game against Kentucky in 1975, fans yelled at King while he was leaving the court and one threw a lit cigarette on him. He told reporters afterward, ``They will never beat us again as long as I play at Tennessee.'' And the Vols won the next five games against the Wildcats. He recalled that story again Tuesday. ``We didn't like to lose,'' King said. ``I said they won't (win again) and I meant it.'' King, who came to Tennessee from Brooklyn, is considered one of the best players in SEC history. He led the league in scoring at 25.8 points a game as a junior and helped lead the Vols to the 1977 SEC championship. He now lives in Atlanta with his wife, Shana, and daughter, Amina. He said he was involved in several businesses. ``Life is well and good for Bernard,'' he said. Current Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl asked King to speak to the team before Tuesday's game. King said he told the players to enjoy their time as college students and athletes and play with passion. King was drafted by the New Jersey Nets but spent most of his career with the New York Knicks and Washington Bullets. He led the NBA in scoring in 1985 with 32.9 points a game for the Knicks, but he suffered a major knee injury and missed nearly two seasons to recover. King said he was looking forward to seeing his former college teammates, many of whom he had not seen for 30 years. Even Mears, who has been in poor health recently, came to see King.