The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Just over one month after he reopened his recruiting process, Fredrick King Jr committed to the Creighton Bluejays and will head to the Big East to begin his collegiate basketball career.

King, a 6’10” frontcourt player out of the NBA Academy (Latin America), decided on the Bluejays over the BYU Cougars, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Utah Utes.

“Fredrick is a versatile and an athletic front line player,” said Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said. “Having played at NBA Academy Latin America, he has been coached and trained at a high level. His motor and competitive spirit will allow for an immediate impact on our programme. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Bluejay family!”

King is ranked as the No. 133 recruit in the latest 247Sports rankings of 2022 prospects and joins a Bluejays inkling class that also includes freshmen Ben Shtolzberg (No. 157) and Jasen Green (No. 184) and TCU transfer Francisco Farabello.

The Bluejays finished last season 23-12, fourth place in the Big East Conference regular-season standings, and runner-up in the league tournament.

After receiving an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament, they defeated San Diego State in the first round before they lost in the second round to eventual national champion Kansas Jayhawks.

King, an Andros native, decommitted from the Louisville Cardinals following the programme’s transition away from former head coach Chris Mack.

King originally committed to the Cardinals under Mack’s tenure last November, however, he was relieved of his duties as head coach in January.

King chose the Cardinals ahead of Creighton, the Washington State Trojans, Georgetown Hoyas, and Miami Hurricanes. It took just several months for King to go from relatively unknown to an elite Division I prospect for the class of 2022. The Andros native is a product of the NBA Academy Latin America and is currently listed as the no.133 prospect of his class. King, a former DW Davis and CI Gibson standout, became the first Bahamian to ever receive an invitation to an NBA Academy and made the most of his opportunity in a relatively short time span.

ESPN listed him as one of the class of 2022’s top prospects emerging from the NBA Academy Invitational last September following his performance at the NBA Academy Invitational.

He averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per game on 77 percent shooting from the field at the event hosted by his NBA Academy Latin America programme in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

He opened with 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead NBA Latin America to an 82-61 win over NBA Africa Red and followed with 29 points and 13 rebounds in a 93-87 over The Skills Factory.