European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 21, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 a the stars and stripes sports thursday january 21,1693 by Harvey Araton the new York times on new years Day Tom Gugliotta Shook the hand of his basketball hero. It occurred to him that Bernard King was the epitome of a distinguished gentleman. A the gave me a big smile introduced himself and said in a looking Forward to playing with you a a said Gugliotta the Washington bullets Rookie Forward who has drawn comparisons however overstated to a Young Larry Bird Gugliotta tried not to Blush. When King was a Knick in the mid-1980s, almost a one Man playoff team Gug Liotta was a Huntington station n.y., teen Ager who Elled himself hoarse at Madison Square Garden. At Lis local gymnasium there Wasny to a kid who did no to imitate King s lightning Quick turnaround jump shot or his explosive burst to the rim filling the left Lane on the fast break. No one Gugliotta said could quite get the Knack of the classic King game face a fearsome mask of determination and rage that was in effect today a trendy trash talk without a word being said a there was Bird and magic but the kicks were local and he was the Star who could score at will a Gugliotta recalled. A we worshipped him the Way the kids today worship Michael Jordan. So when he first came Back i thought it could be a real Good thing a Gugliotta would soon understand Why several of his teammates weren t so pleased with Kings sudden return after a 16-month struggle to rehabilitate a. Surgically repaired right knee for a second time at practice last week Kings first with the bullets since the end of the 1990-91 season the Rookie got a look at the Man behind the game face. Apparently trying to gain his release so he could sign with another team hopefully for King the kicks or the nets King refused to participate in the team s defensive drills. An ugly confrontation Between Gugliotta King and the bullets coach Wes Unseld ensued. The 6-foot-7-Inch King exchanged shoves with the 245-Pound Unseld called him a a a thug and was forcibly removed from the court by unwell. He was suspended for four Days by the teams general manager John Nash. Comebacks Are Bernard Kings specially his passion his Pride. Never never count him out he has said taunting and even punishing those who have and might be inclined to do so again. A King once said that he began drinking in College to hide social insecurities created by the Radical change in his life from being poor and Black in Brooklyn to a Star at the University of Tennessee. After several brushes with the Taw he rebounded from substance abuse after bottoming out in 1980 while with the Utah jazz. He later became the first professional basketball player to suffer major ligament damage in 1985 but come Back As the All Star he had once been. King who missed the 1991-92 season after arthritic activity in his surgically worn knee required arthroscopic surgery in August 1991, did show up on the first Day of the bullets training Camp last october for the mandatory physical. And he had not been seen by the team again until he appeared on new years Day. It was at that Point a commentary cording to Unseld and Nash that King in the final year of a guaranteed contract that will pay him $2.5 million this season made a vow he would be a disruptive Force unless he was reactivated and Given playing time. King really wanted his release they realized but if the bullets Cut King they will forfeit his prize $2.5 million Slot within the salary Cap planned for next season s certain lottery pick. A what i think this is All about is another contract for next year a said Nash. A not about proving anything or hoping to Hook on with a team that has a Chance to win. More  other than one news conference on the Day of the confrontation with Unseld and a statement the following Day reiterating his new year s Day demand the 36 year old King has refused All interview requests. His first knee injury in March 1985, Cost King the entire 1985-86 season and All but the last six games of the following Campaign. Fed up with King the kicks Cut him Loose then watched in Awe like the rest of the league As this Small Forward scoring machine worked his Way All the Way Back with the bullets to averaging 28 Points per game and into the 1990-91 All Star game. With tears m his eyes King called it his a dream come  he came into the Garden one crowning night in january 1991 and furiously torched the kicks and his Over matched successor Kiki Vandeweghe for 49 Points. As he had done at the All Star game King presented the game Ball to Norman Scott the kicks team physician whom King after interviews with several doctors had handpicked to perform major surgery on the knee. Scott does t understand what All the current fuss is about. To him his patient s sequence of events is self  pain in the right knee forced King to cancel plans to return to the bullets by the Middle of last season and consider finally retirement. After five months of rest the pain subsided. King resumed Light work and returned to his private practice floor. As Early As last summer Scott said he was telling the bullets to expect King Back sometime this season but they did no to believe him. Or he said they did t want to. Nor has he done anything to Cam the support of his Young teammates. The most vocal has been Harvey Grant who White conveniently forgetting that he tried to Stro Garm the bullets into not Matching his kicks offer Sheet last june said a you can to come Back after a year and a half and Start making demands from Day  even Gugliotta King s formerly wide eyed worshipper has had trouble buying into Bernard. �?o1 Haven to any evidence of his wanting to help the team a he said coldly. But Charles Grantham the players association director wonders about the bullets own hidden Agenda. Did Kings plan to return to the bullets conflict with the salary Cap exemption the team was seeking and received from the league last fall in order to sign Gugliotta did an insurance policy on King s contract make the bullets Cross their fingers that the knee would never respond a i m sure he deserved the suspension but beyond All that is the Cut and dried Issue that he has been cleared to play and they have to either activate him or Cut up Lett instead of Patrick Ewing disgruntled Bernard King is taking his Bullet teammates to the hoop these Days. Him a said Grantham who claims the bullets in accordance with a loosely worded league Rule must make their decision by the end of the week. The most Likely scenario is that King will be activated and sent to the end of the Bench. If he is disruptive the bullets could suspend him again. If he conducts himself the Way Grantham has recommended a was a professional a perhaps the ice could be thawed within a week or two a anyone can have a change of emotions and a second Chance a said Unseld once a player As proud As King but selfless almost to a fault. He has confided to one Friend How difficult it has been for him to a stomach Bernard a knowing the realities of the salary Cap As Well As the limitations of his 11-Victory team Unseld conceded a i could have him play for me. Its not like its some kind of  the next question is whether King having Long been allowed to Lead the life of a Royal will be Able to accept a seat that does not resemble a  defections deplete 93 draft Field by Alan Goldstein the Baltimore Sun the a bad a 1992 Rookie crop has been justly hailed As one of the Best freshman classes in league history with special Praise reserved for Shaquille of Neal Alonzo mourning Christian laettner Tom Gugliotta wait Williams Clarence Weatherspoon and Laphonso Ellis who Are All posting impressive statistics. But pro Talent scouts already Are assessing the top candidates for june a draft and their Early reports have been dour at Best. If the 1993 draft in fact were restricted to seniors it would be almost bereft of High profile players except Indiana Forward Calbert Cheaney and Tennessee shooting guard Allan Houston both certified lottery picks. Even though Dukes Bobby Hurley has the solid endorsement of magic Johnson a number of Aba evaluators wonder whether his play making skills will carry Over to the pros. Seton Halls fluid Terry Deere in Lvi a explosive Small Forward j. R. Rider promising Hartford Center Vin Baker Clever Kansas guard Adonis Jordan and shot blocking Iowa Cornstalk Acie Earl appear first round selections. But then the pickings gel extremely thin. Forgotten however is that the class of �?T93 would have included of Neal new Jersey net Point guard Kenny Anderson and Dallas Maverick holdout Jim Jackson had they not opted to turn pro before fulfilling their College eligibility. And the same will hold True this year when at least a half dozen highly prize underclassmen Are expected to become instant millionaires this group includes expected lottery picks Jamal Mashburn of Kentucky and Rodney Rogers of Wake Forest a pair of All purpose forwards and gifted Guai Amer Nee Hardaway of Memphis stat who has been called a the next  there Are also Strong rumours that be eral members of Michigan s a fab Fivi will quit the wolverines after their sop Omore seasons. Power Forward pm Webber who could very Well be the fir player chosen is considered certain to a that and teammates Jalen Rose a Juwan Howard could follow. A if All these kids come out a a Washington Bullet general manager Jol Nash a then All of a sudden it looks lil a pretty Good