The J-Notes
Fansided

Five Utah Jazz players that left fans wanting more

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 5: Paul Millsap #24 and Alec Burks #10 of the Utah Jazz go up for a rebound against Xavier Henry #4 of the New Orleans Hornets at Energy Solutions Arena on April 5, 2013 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 5: Paul Millsap #24 and Alec Burks #10 of the Utah Jazz go up for a rebound against Xavier Henry #4 of the New Orleans Hornets at Energy Solutions Arena on April 5, 2013 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Bernard King Charles Barkley All-Star
CHARLOTTE, NC – FEBRUARY 9: Bernard King #30 and Charles Barkley #34 of the Eastern Conference All-Stars shoots the ball during NBA All-Star Practice as part of the 1991 All Star Weekend on February 9, 1991 at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 1991 NBAE (Photo by Jon Soohoo/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2) Bernard King

Of all the names on this list, Bernard King‘s is the saddest. In the ’80s, few players shined as bright as him or reached the same soul-crushing lows he experienced, some of which were of his own doing.

King rocked the hardwood coming out of Tennessee, averaging 23 points and nine boards per game over his first two years with the New Jersey Nets. Then, in 1979, he arrived in Utah via trade for big man Rich Kelley, bringing with him the potential to help the Jazz reach a new level of success in the team’s first year in Salt Lake.

Instead, he faltered on the court and got into big trouble off of it.

While Adrian Dantley soared in the Jazz frontcourt, King scuffled, putting up just nine points per game over 19 contests with the team. The low point came when he was suspended indefinitely in January of 1980. The reason: King had been charged with sexual assault. His alcohol abuse was a major factor in what transpired.

He would eventually find his footing as a player, winning the NBA’s Comeback Player of the Year honors the following year in Golden State and becoming a scoring champion and folk hero with the New York Knicks a few years later. But one can’t help but wonder what kind of impact he would’ve had in Utah had his demons not gotten the better of him.

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