King leaves Alabama, commits to MTSU
Former Memphis player is a grad transfer
MURFREESBORO — MTSU head basketball coach Kermit Davis locked up a commitment from a grad-transfer on Thursday.
Former Memphis and Alabama guard/forward Nick King told The Daily News Journal that he committed to the Blue Raiders.
King, who will graduate from Alabama in May, will be eligible to play immediately because he is a grad transfer, per NCAA rules.
Verbal commitments are nonbinding for the school and the student.
“They recruited me throughout the whole three steps,” King said. “From high school to when I was transferring from Memphis and here at Alabama. The concern and the passion.
“They really knew me and what I could actually do.”
King said Kermit Davis and assistant coach Win Case came down to Tuscaloosa after MTSU’s exit from the NCAA Tournament to talk to him.
“That really meant a lot,” King said.
During his only season with the Crimson Tide this year, King averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
He played several positions but is known primarily as a point-forward, meaning he can run the floor like a point guard from the forward position.
King’s physical attributes and ability is similar to forwards Reggie Upshaw and JaCorey Williams, who completed their final year of eligibility this year at MTSU.
“I talked to JaCorey and he really told me about how great of coaches Kermit is,” King said. “This was my last goaround and biggest decision of my life.”
King was a former standout at Memphis East and a consensus top-50 recruit out of high school. He started his career for his hometown school as a true freshman, where he played in 34 games for the Memphis Tigers where he averaged 4.9 points as a freshman and 7.2 points as a sophomore before transferring to Alabama.
Reach Aldo Amato at agamato@ dnj.com and follow him on Twitter @Aldo_Amato.