The Tape
Was Bernard King better than Kawhi Leonard?
Bernard King, 1977-1993, against Kawhi Leonard, 2011-present. The numbers levelled to one league, then the call.
Method, stated plainly: scoring is adjusted to a league averaging 114 points per team per game. Rebounds and assists are printed as they were recorded, with the league scoring rate beside them, because a rebound in 1962 came out of a different number of missed shots and we will not pretend one multiplier fixes that. Career lines for active players run through 2024-25.
What the numbers say
Same job, 32 years apart: a forward asked to score against a set defense with no help coming. King's 1984-85 season adjusts to 33.9 points a game, and he did it at 53.0% from the field with a turnaround released in under half a second.
Leonard's edge is everything King could not do. He defends at an All-NBA level, shoots 39% from 3, and has 2 Finals MVPs with 2 franchises. King never made a conference finals.
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