Bernard King vs. Willis Reed Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Willis Reed and Bernard King, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Bernard King played 14 years in the NBA, 4 more than Willis Reed, who played 10. Bernard King had the first of his seasons in 1977-78, while Willis Reed had his rookie season in 1964-65. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achievements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Bernard King 14 5 1977-78 to 1992-93
Willis Reed 10 7 1964-65 to 1973-74

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Rookie Season

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1977-781964-65
Team New Jersey NetsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 79 39.1 24.2 3.4 6.2 9.5 2.4 1.5 0.5 3.9 3.8 10.1 21.1 .479 - - - 4.0 5.8 .677
difference:+1+1.1+4.7+5.2+0.7-0.4+2.2+2.9+.047+0.2+0.7+.065
Willis Reed 80 38.0 19.5 - - 14.7 1.7 - - - 4.2 7.9 18.2 .432 - - - 3.8 5.1 .742
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Bernard King nor Willis Reed played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1978-791965-66
Team New Jersey NetsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 82 34.9 21.6 3.1 5.1 8.2 3.6 1.4 0.5 3.9 4.0 8.7 16.6 .522 - - - 4.3 7.5 .564
difference:+6+1.5+6.1+3.4+2.4-0.3+2.9+3.3+.088+0.3+2.2+.193
Willis Reed 76 33.4 15.5 - - 11.6 1.2 - - - 4.3 5.8 13.3 .434 - - - 4.0 5.3 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 2 40.5 26.0 2.5 3.0 5.5 3.5 2.0 0.0 3.0 5.0 10.5 21.0 .500 - - - 5.0 12.0 .417
Willis Reed DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1979-801966-67
Team Utah JazzNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Div Semis
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 19 22.1 9.3 1.3 3.4 4.6 2.7 0.4 0.2 2.6 3.5 3.7 7.2 .518 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.3 .540
difference:+59+14.1+11.6+10.0+1.1-0.3+4.4+9.4+.029+2.8+2.9+.195
Willis Reed 78 36.2 20.9 - - 14.6 1.6 - - - 3.8 8.1 16.6 .489 - - - 4.6 6.2 .735
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King DNP------ --- ----------
Willis Reed 4 37.0 27.5 - - 13.8 1.8 - - - 4.8 10.8 20.0 .538 - - - 6.0 6.3 .960

Season 4

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1980-811967-68
Team Golden State WarriorsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Div Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 81 36.0 21.9 2.2 4.6 6.8 3.5 0.9 0.4 3.3 3.8 9.0 15.4 .588 0.0 0.1 .333 3.8 5.4 .703
difference:+0.5+1.1+6.4+1.5-0.4+0.9+1.2+.098+0.7+0.9+.018
Willis Reed 81 35.5 20.8 - - 13.2 2.0 - - - 4.2 8.1 16.6 .490 - - - 4.5 6.3 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King DNP------ --- ----------
Willis Reed 6 35.0 21.3 - - 10.3 1.8 - - - 4.0 8.8 16.3 .541 - - - 3.7 5.0 .733

Season 5

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1981-821968-69
Team Golden State WarriorsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Div Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 79 36.2 23.2 1.8 4.2 5.9 3.6 1.0 0.3 3.4 3.6 9.4 16.5 .566 0.0 0.1 .200 4.5 6.3 .705
difference:+3+1.7+2.1+8.6+1.3-0.2+0.8+.045+0.5+1.0+.042
Willis Reed 82 37.9 21.1 - - 14.5 2.3 - - - 3.8 8.6 16.5 .521 - - - 4.0 5.3 .747
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King DNP------ --- ----------
Willis Reed 10 42.9 25.7 - - 14.1 1.9 - - - 4.0 10.1 19.8 .510 - - - 5.5 7.0 .786

Season 6

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1982-831969-70
Team New York KnicksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 68 32.5 21.9 1.5 3.3 4.8 2.9 1.3 0.2 2.9 3.4 8.9 16.8 .528 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.7 .722
difference:+13+5.6+0.2+9.1+0.9-0.1+0.2+0.3+.021+0.2+.034
Willis Reed 81 38.1 21.7 - - 13.9 2.0 - - - 3.5 8.7 17.1 .507 - - - 4.3 5.7 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 6 30.7 23.5 1.3 2.7 4.0 2.2 0.3 0.0 1.7 2.7 9.3 16.2 .577 0.2 0.5 .333 4.7 5.8 .800
difference:+12+10.0+0.2+9.8+0.6-0.6+0.6+4.8+.106+0.8+0.5+.063
Willis Reed 18 40.7 23.7 - - 13.8 2.8 - - - 3.3 9.9 21.0 .471 - - - 3.9 5.3 .737

Season 7

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1983-841970-71
Team New York KnicksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisKnicks Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 77 34.6 26.3 1.6 3.5 5.1 2.1 1.0 0.2 2.6 3.5 10.3 18.1 .572 0.0 0.1 .000 5.7 7.3 .779
difference:+4+4.5+5.4+8.6+0.1-0.4+1.9+0.1+.110+1.6+2.1+.006
Willis Reed 73 39.1 20.9 - - 13.7 2.0 - - - 3.1 8.4 18.2 .462 - - - 4.1 5.2 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 12 39.8 34.8 2.3 3.8 6.2 3.0 1.2 0.5 2.6 4.0 13.5 23.5 .574 0.0 0.1 .000 7.8 10.3 .756
difference:+2.2+19.1+5.8+0.7-0.6+6.7+7.2+.161+5.6+7.0+.089
Willis Reed 12 42.0 15.7 - - 12.0 2.3 - - - 3.4 6.8 16.3 .413 - - - 2.2 3.3 .667

Season 8

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1984-851971-72
Team New York KnicksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 55 37.5 32.9 2.1 3.7 5.8 3.7 1.3 0.3 3.7 3.5 12.6 23.7 .530 0.0 0.2 .100 7.7 10.0 .772
difference:+44+4.5+19.5+2.9+1.7-0.8+7.1+11.2+.092+5.2+6.5+.080
Willis Reed 11 33.0 13.4 - - 8.7 2.0 - - - 2.7 5.5 12.5 .438 - - - 2.5 3.5 .692
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Bernard King nor Willis Reed played in the postseason in their season 8

Note: Bernard King didn't play in 1985-86.

Season 9

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1986-871972-73
Team New York KnicksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 6 35.7 22.7 2.2 3.2 5.3 3.2 0.3 0.0 2.5 2.3 8.7 17.5 .495 0.0 0.0 - 5.3 7.2 .744
difference:+63+8.5+11.7+3.3+1.4-0.7+3.9+7.3+.021+4.0+5.4+.002
Willis Reed 69 27.2 11.0 - - 8.6 1.8 - - - 3.0 4.8 10.2 .474 - - - 1.3 1.8 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King DNP------ --- ----------
Willis Reed 17 28.6 12.5 - - 7.6 1.8 - - - 3.8 5.7 12.2 .466 - - - 1.1 1.2 .857

Season 10

Bernard King Willis Reed
Season 1987-881973-74
Team Washington BulletsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bullets Lost East Conf 1st RdKnicks Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 69 29.6 17.2 1.2 2.8 4.1 2.8 0.7 0.1 3.1 2.9 6.8 13.6 .501 0.0 0.1 .167 3.6 4.7 .762
difference:+50+3.3+6.1+1.3+2.1+3.3+1.2+0.1+1.0-0.3+2.4+3.9+.044+1.4+1.9+.030
Willis Reed 19 26.3 11.1 2.5 4.9 7.4 1.6 0.6 1.1 - 2.6 4.4 9.7 .457 - - - 2.2 2.8 .792
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Bernard King 5 33.6 13.8 0.6 1.6 2.2 1.8 0.6 0.0 2.8 3.4 5.2 10.6 .491 0.0 0.0 - 3.4 4.2 .810
difference:+6+21.6+10.4+0.2+0.2+1.4+0.4-1.0+3.7+6.5+.113+3.1+3.7+.210
Willis Reed 11 12.0 3.4 0.4 1.6 2.0 0.4 0.2 0.0 - 2.4 1.5 4.1 .378 - - - 0.3 0.5 .600

Additional Years

* Bernard King played 4 seasons more than Willis Reed in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 11 to 14, from 1989 to 1993—Bernard King played in one postseason.

In those 4 extra years over Willis Reed, Bernard King got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-NBA Third Team
Achievement 1 All-Star Game