Game Face: A Lifetime of Hard-Earned Lessons On and Off the Basketball Court

by Bernard King

A memoir by the NBA Hall of Fame player, active from 1977-1993 and widely regarded as one of the all-time great New York Knicks.

NBA Hall of Famer Bernard King is one of the most dynamic scorers in basketball history. King was notoriously private as a player, and rarely spoke to the press-not about his career and never about his personal life. And even beyond his prolific scoring, King will forever be remembered for the gruesome knee injury he suffered in 1985. Doctors who told him he'd never play again were shocked when he not only became the first player to return to the NBA from a torn ACL, but returned at an All Star level. In Game Face, King finally opens up about his life on and off the court. In his book, King's basketball I.Q. is on full display as he breaks down defenses using his own unique system for taking shots from predetermined spots on the floor. King talks about matching up against some of the all-time NBA greats, from Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley to Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and many others. He also tackles issues of race and family off the court, as well as breaking a personal cycle of negativity and self-destructiveness with the help of his family. Engaging, shocking, revelatory, yet always positive and upbeat, Bernard King's memoir appeals to multiple generations of basketball fans.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Nonfiction

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2017

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and exciting life story of a great player from the 80s.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bernard King is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and was one of the most prolific scorers during his sixteen year career, with his best seasons occurring when he played for the New York Knicks. He recovered from serious knee surgery at a time when that type of injury meant the end of a career. In addition, he was known as an extremely private person during his playing days, rarely opening up to the media about any personal issues.

In this memoir written with Jerome Preisler, King opens up about his childhood and the feelings of self-doubt that were always present in his life, even when basketball took him to places he never thought he would reach, such as college (University of Tennessee) and back home to New York. As a Brooklyn kid, he talks about his experiences in the schools and playgrounds in the area and how he vowed to do what he could to avoid the temptations of the streets.

He also opens up about problems that plagued him during his college and professional careers, namely alcoholism and its associated issues. He thanks his first agent for assisting him in getting the help he needed to overcome those issues as well. King’s openness about these matters is something that he would rarely do in the public spotlight, so a reader can only imagine how tough it must have been for him to talk about these subject. He covers a lot of ground in these areas, but there is not a lot of detail or too much anger or self-pity. These sections came across as his account of what happened, what he did to address them and not much else.

The same can’t be said for when King writes about his basketball skills, however. It is clear how much he still loves the game and the vivid memory he has for many of his career highlights. This is true from his time playing in high school to his days at Tennessee, when he teamed with Ernie Grunfeld to form the “Bernie and Ernie Show” to his NBA career. He was drafted by the New Jersey Nets where he became a scoring machine early. He later played for the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz before joining the Knicks where his star shone the greatest. At each stop, he has mostly kind words for teammates, coaches and front office people. This is true even if his experience with the team was not so great, such as his time in Utah. It matches the rest of the book because it has a very positive, upbeat feeling even when King is discussing low points in his life.

Serious basketball fans will love the detail with which King describes the action on the court. Whether it is describing plays that coaches draw on the board, elbows thrown by opponents such as Bob Lanier and Maurice Lucas or the sweet jump shot that made him a scoring machine, the book is chock full of game action. Casual fans who have heard about him but wish to know more will also enjoy this book.

I wish to thank Da Capo Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Game Face: A Lifetime of Hard-Earned Lessons On and Off the Basketball Court by Bernard King with Jerome Preisler (Da Capo Press 2017) (Biography). Here's a ghost-written autobiography of one of my favorite Tennessee Volunteer basketball players. Bernard King was a force to be reckoned with when he left Fort Greene in Brooklyn to head south and start college at the age of seventeen. He teamed as a freshman with another New Yorker, one Ernie Grunfeld, to make Tennessee a center of exciting basketball in the mid-1970's.
Poor Bernard did not have an easy time of it growing up. He was raised in the inner city by parents who had no interest in sports. However, even as a child Bernard was blessed with sufficient native intelligence to prod him to seek out appropriate mentors.
After a stellar career as a Tennessee Volunteer, Bernard went on to become a superstar in the NBA. The main portion of this volume is devoted to Bernard's reminiscences of his time as a professional baller.
My sole knock against this tale is that no one ever appears to have read the ghost-writer's final draft. Suffice it to say that there are some screaming factual boners to be found; I recommend not fact-checking too closely. Nevertheless it was good to find this volume about one of my childhood heros. My rating: 7/10, finished 9/17/18.

[Ted Mieszczanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine book that exemplifies the triumphs, tragedies, pitfalls and dreams of a professional career. However, what I found most moving about the book is the explored humanity of Mr. King’s relationship with his parents. Those chapters rise above the mundane and elevate us in their universality. Nicely done, Bernard.

[Ken Baldwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bernard King's life makes for a good story but please have someone proofread and edit the work before publishing. So many mistakes and errors. One example of many errors - Lorenzo Romar did not play for or coach the Washington State Cougars. He played for and coached the University of Washington Huskies. A big difference. If you don't think so ask any Husky or Cougar what they think.

[Frank Murtaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel a kinship to Bernard King. I was born in Knoxville, the son of University of Tennessee alumni. So King's dynamic days at UT (1974-77) are close to my heart, even if my family lived elsewhere during that time.
He was an extraordinary basketball player, and appreciates his blessings (as an athlete) all the more, as his youth was damaging. Serious issues with both parents. Bullying in various forms. Young life in a Brooklyn very different from today's. King overcame much, including some bad decisions of his own that hurt people close to him. I enjoyed the appreciative tone of his reflections, every bit as much as the stories from his NBA stardom, particularly his time with the Knicks when he was in the category of Bird, Magic, and Doctor J.
The book could have used some careful editing (grammar, a detail overlooked here and there). But overall, a fine read for basketball fans and those who enjoy a man's rise from rags to his version of salvation.

[Tom Gase · Rating 2 out of 5]

I sooooo wanted to give this a better rating, around a 3 or 4. But a lot of things inaccurate with this book including the whole chapter and a page or two about Bernard King having a conversation with then head coach Hubie Brown about winning the MVP in 1984 in a vote by his peers. He did not win the MVP, Larry Bird did. He also had a few years wrong and at times he kind of comes off as self-centered and full of himself. That being said I'm glad Bernard King was able to fight his demons and alcoholism and other problems to become a better person. I would have liked to have known about King's time with the Washington Bullets a lot more. This book centers on his time in college at Tennessee with the Ernie and Bernie show as well his time playing with the New York Knicks- especially the 1984 season. Unless a huge die-hard NBA fan, I would probably avoid, which is too bad because I'd like to know more about King, but the truthful version.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story of Bernard King's basketball life that kept me hooked, and great introduction (for me) to the players in this era of the NBA.

Highlights:
• Better than the average self-help book, he puts a wise hindsight on his life. In line with how he analyzes the game, he pointed out examples of when you have to take action or be brave and say out loud that something needs to change.
• Good explanation to the physicality in old-school basketball, and how it was just part of the in-game competitive analysis, if dirty.
• Full of basketball wisdom and theory: he lays out the skills/focus required, down to the techniques and practice that you can try out as a player or coach.

A joy for basketball lovers. My favorite book I've read this year so far.

[Favian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although blessed with a decorated career and enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Bernard King is not a household name among casual basketball fans of this generation. His career overlapped all-time greats such as Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and Michael Jordan. We were ultimately robbed of a potential New York Knicks dynasty between him and Patrick Ewing. King gave inspiring anecdotes on his rehabilitation from the devastating ACL injury. However, I wish he talked in greater detail about his stint with the Washington Bullets during the 1987-1991 seasons, since those years were the fruits of his determination to return to All-Star form.

[Josh Kilner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bernard King’s relentless work ethic helped him become one of his generations most prolific scorers.

Although he experienced tremendous success as a player in both college and the NBA, King suffered crushing lows stemming from addiction and personal issues from his childhood.

Overall, a very enjoyable read that offers great insights into the ups and downs of his incredible life and playing career.

[Matt M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would be 3.5 stars if it would let me. Inconsistencies/incongruencies in the story made me scratch my head a few times. Typos and factual errors that should never show up in a book with an editor made me face palm. But King's interesting personal story and basketball insight made me keep reading. Worth it for basketball fans!

[David Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a big fan of Bernard King. This book helped me to learn more about King. It was sad to read about his upbringing and how it effected many aspects of his life. I enjoyed reading about many of his games he played in. I also enjoyed reading about his college career. Very enjoyable read.

[Adam J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. My only criticism is that King glossed over many of the controversial parts of his life, especially at Tennessee. And while I can certainly appreciate that he didn't want to recount those dark times, it did take away from the overall read for me.

[Azadar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. The book really gave you a look into the adversity that Bernard King had experienced, including racism, injuries, and how he couldn't always play basketball when he was growing up. It also really showed how Bernard King Became the player he was.

[Randell Carlton Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

12,26.17-12.31.17

[Travis Montroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best sports autobiography I've ever read!

[Kristyn McCain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book needed a fact checker. I found a few factual errors and it made me wonder if there were others that I was not aware of.

[Stenny]

I love me a good sports bio - Game Face reads blandly and workman like - but I’m a sucker. 2.75 out of 5

[Jeff Wait · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything a sports autobiography should be: honest, exciting and a little bit fantastical. Bernard King is a larger than life hoops legend and an inspiration. I loved this one.

[meejieweegie · Rating 4 out of 5]

not a sports person but i enjoyed this!

thought he had really interesting things to say about race in sports in the 70s/80s

7/10