After the senior point guard helped the Missoula Sentinel High School boys' squad take second at state in March, King returned to his first love of baseball. King, who will play baseball at Spokane Falls Community College next year, entered July batting .358 for the Mavs with two homers, four triples and 14 doubles.
Recently, King took time to chat about his playing career.
A: I know he was a great athlete. He started in Legion ball as a freshman and played through high school. I know he broke the state high jump record and held it for a long time. In football he got a scholarship to college and in basketball he was known as a jumper. He started for few years in basketball at forward. He wasn't very tall for a forward but they used him up front because he could jump so high.
Q: When did you discover your love of sports and how did it come about?
A: I got my love of sports from my dad. It all started when I was like 3 or 4 and he'd take me in the yard to play whiffle ball. He'd pitch to me in the back yard. Then, me and the neighbor kids would always have these backyard football games and I just went on from there.
Q: When did you start playing baseball?
A: It was when I was about 5 or 6. Dad coached my Little League teams and my brothers' teams for about 12 years, up until we reached majors.
Q: When did you get into basketball and what is it about that game that kept you playing through your senior year of high school?
A: I just like all sports - whatever I'm playing at the time becomes most important. I started playing basketball, Y-ball, in third grade. It was me Andy (Garland) and (Mark) Henkel playing together. From third to eighth grade we were on an AAU team called the Motown Magic and we won a lot of tournaments. It was sweet because four of the Sentinel guys were all on that team - Andy, Mark, Logan (Jacobson) and Dan Thiselle - were all on that team.
Q: Talk about the run the Sentinel boys' basketball team made this season.
A: You look back at it as fun, but then you always wish you could have that one game back. I know that if we played our best we could have won it, but we just had a bad day. Coming in second is cool, but you always want first.
Q: Before the state title contest, were you thinking about it being your last high school game?
A: It didn't hit until after the was game over that we wouldn't play together again. I mean, we knew it was going to be the last one and we wanted to come out and end it on a good note. That didn't happen. But not until after did it hit that our high school careers were over.
Q: How did you get into the Missoula Mavericks program and how has that experience been?
A: I was actually in seventh grade in all-stars and my coach ... I remember him telling me I should try out the next year for the Legion team. I hadn't really heard of it. I went to a few winter workouts and I was small back then, about five feet, 100 pounds and I kind of felt like I didn't belong. But I had a great tryout and made the A team.
Q: If it was up to you, what position would you play?
A: I'm really used to second base. I've kind of had the opportunity to play third and short a lot this season. Really I like the middle infield and have had a lot of fun playing short now that my arm is stronger.
Q: Does this year's team have something to prove after a disappointing finish last year?
A: Oh yeah, we do for sure. Last year we had such a great team and it was such a bummer to go two and out at state. I know all the returning guys don't want to see that happen again.
Q: Do this year's Mavericks have what it takes to bring a state championship back to Missoula for the first time since 1998?
A: I think we do. The pitching is coming along and a few more guys are stepping up on the mound. If we hit the ball and play errorless defense like we're capable of, I think we can really do it.
Lightning round
What's (Mavericks manager) Brent Hathaway's pet peeve? He Doesn't like excusses. If you mess up, don't give an excuse.
Favorite band? Really, I don't have one. I just listen to whatever. I listen to everything between rap, pop and country.
Younger Maverick teammate most likely to play big-time college baseball? Ben Roberts.
What's the best advice you could give an incoming freshman athlete at Sentinel? Play hard and make the best of it because it goes by fast. Come up with a goal and work hard for it.
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