Leonard King (basketball) explained

Leonard King
Nationality:American
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
High School:Cleveland Heights
(Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
College:Florida A&M (1984–1989)
Draft Year:1989
Career Start:1991
Career End:2004
Coach Start:2007
Coach End:2013
Career Position:Guard / forward
Years1:1991–1998
Team1:Otago Nuggets
Years2:1999–2000
Team2:North Otago Penguins
Years3:2004
Team3:Otago Nuggets
Cyears1:2007–2010
Cteam1:Mackay Meteors
Cyears2:2011
Cteam2:Brisbane Spartans
Cyears3:2012–2013
Cteam3:Northside Wizards
Highlights:As player:

As coach:

  • 2× QBL Coach of the Year (2009, 2010)

Leonard King (born 1966[1]) is an American former basketball player. He played college basketball for the Florida A&M Rattlers before playing the majority of his career in New Zealand with the Otago Nuggets. Listed as a forward in college,[2] he was named the recipient of the New Zealand NBL Most Outstanding Guard Award in 1994.

High school and college career

King attended Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he was named Class AAA All-Ohio as a senior in 1983–84.[3]

King played college basketball for the Florida A&M Rattlers between 1984 and 1989. He sat out the 1987–88 season. In 107 games, he averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Professional career

As a professional, King played in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg and New Zealand.

King played for the Otago Nuggets in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) from 1991 to 1998 and again in 2004.[4] He was named NZNBL Most Outstanding Guard in 1994 and earned NZNBL All-Star Five honors in 1994 and 1995.[5] [6] He played 181 games for the Nuggets[7] and averaged more than 25 points a game.[8] As of 2019, he is the franchise's all time leader in points, rebounds and steals, as well as second in assists and blocks.

In 1999 and 2000, King played for the North Otago Penguins in the Conference Basketball League (CBL). He helped them win back-to-back championships and earned the Most Valuable Player award in 2000.[9] [10]

Coaching career

Following the conclusion of his playing career, King began working with Basketball New Zealand as a high performance coach. He was an assistant coach with the New Zealand Tall Blacks in 2005 and 2006.

In 2007, King moved to Queensland, Australia, to coach the Mackay Meteors in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL).[11] [12] He was named the QBL Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010.[13] He left the Meteors following the 2010 season.[14]

In 2011, King served as head coach of the Brisbane Spartans of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).[15] [16]

In 2012 and 2013, King served as head coach of the Northside Wizards in the QBL.[17] [18]

King worked for Basketball Queensland during the 2010s and was the Emerging Boomers' assistant coach in 2016. In 2017, he returned to Basketball New Zealand as their general manager for high performance.[19]

Personal life

King and his wife Tracey have two children, Tylah and Mojave. His son is also a professional basketball player.[20]

King's great-grandmother was full Native American while his grandfather was half Native American and half African American.[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seconi . Adrian . Basketball: Otago still much a part of former Nuggets star . Otago Daily Times . August 1, 2021 . December 17, 2011.
  2. Web site: Leonard King. sports-reference.com. June 23, 2023.
  3. Web site: 83-84 All-Ohio Teams. ohsaa.org. June 23, 2023.
  4. Web site: Nuggets' demise saddens stalwarts . Seconi . Adrian . December 6, 2008 . . January 28, 2011.
  5. Web site: 2005 League Handbook . Basketball.org.nz . September 20, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060824065604/http://www.basketball.org.nz/uimages//1942.pdf . August 24, 2006.
  6. Web site: 2015 Bartercard NBL Handbook. Basketball.org.nz. November 3, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150909105526/http://www.basketball.org.nz/Portals/26/2015%20Bartercard%20National%20Basketball%20League%20Handbook.pdf. September 9, 2015.
  7. Web site: Cheshire . Jeff . Young Dunedin-born player turning heads in US . . April 1, 2020 . April 10, 2019.
  8. Web site: Meikle . Hayden . Best of the rest: Leonard King, an All-Star and outstanding guard . . June 23, 2023 . January 2, 2012.
  9. Web site: CBL Final. plug.co.nz. August 25, 1999. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20000118234623/http://www.plug.co.nz/sport/basketball/cblnews2.htm. January 18, 2000. June 23, 2023.
  10. Web site: 2000. basketball.org.nz. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150121135215/http://www.basketball.org.nz/competitions/conference-league/history/cbl-2000/. January 21, 2015. June 23, 2023.
  11. Web site: Mackay Meteors and Meteorettes score coup with NZ signing. couriermail.com.au. February 28, 2007. June 23, 2023.
  12. Web site: Coach fires at player tactics. couriermail.com.au. December 8, 2007. June 23, 2023. King came from New Zealand eight months ago, where he was the high performance coach for the men's national team, to manage the Meteors..
  13. Web site: QBL AWARD WINNERS. qbl.basketballqld.com.au. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190323115214/https://qbl.basketballqld.com.au/awards-and-history/qbl-award-winners/. March 23, 2019. October 23, 2022.
  14. Web site: Payne. Charlie. Coach King to leave the Meteors. couriermail.com.au. November 9, 2010. June 23, 2023.
  15. Web site: Payne. Charlie. Gypsy king moving on from Mackay. couriermail.com.au. January 13, 2011. June 23, 2023.
  16. Web site: King to rule at Spartans. Southern Districts Basketball Association. June 23, 2023.
  17. Web site: King to lead the Wizards. facebook.com/northsidewizards. December 2, 2011. June 23, 2023.
  18. Web site: QBL State Champions & Award Winners. qbl.basketballqld.com.au. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224724/http://qbl.basketballqld.com.au/awards-and-history/qbl-state-champions-award-winners/. November 14, 2018. October 23, 2022.
  19. Web site: Australian Leonard King returns to take on Basketball New Zealand high performance role. stuff.co.nz. October 20, 2017. June 23, 2023.
  20. Web site: Santamaria . Liam . Meet Mojave King: Australian Basketball's Next Big Thing . NBL.com.au . June 23, 2023 . April 11, 2019 . June 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230623131639/https://nbl.com.au/news/meet-mojave-king-australian-basketballs-next-big-thing . live.
  21. Web site: Glier . Ray . From Down Under, With a Nod to the Mojave Desert, Comes a New Hoops Star . . April 1, 2020 . August 8, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190808052632/https://www.ozy.com/the-huddle/from-down-under-with-a-nod-to-the-mojave-desert-comes-a-new-hoops-star/95703/ . August 8, 2019.

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