Nov. 11, 2009

Keala King, the No. 1 ranked prospect in California and No. 25 recruit overall in the national 2010 class according to Rivals.com, has signed a letter-of-intent with Herb Sendek's Arizona State basketball program.

King, listed at 6-5 and 185 pounds, also is ranked No. 53 by ESPN.com, which has his Mater Dei High School squad ranked 19th nationally. King transferred from Dominguez High School in Compton after last year and will be coached by Gary McKnight, who is on his way to breaking the state record for career wins (843) as he is 828-76.

King has point-guard skills in a wing body, and the southpaw is strong with either hand in the lane. He also earned first-team honors in the annual "Best in the West" recruiting rankings done annually by Frank Burlison.

"Everything makes me excited about Keala,'' says Coach Herb Sendek about King. "He's a tremendous young player. I expect him to hit the floor running and have a tremendous career here at Arizona State. He's strong, he's tough, he's a multidimensional player. He's a winner."

King was a key reserve at Dominguez High in his sophomore year on a team that beat Mater Dei for the CIF Southern Section's I-AA title. He averaged 16 points per game in 2008-2009 as the Dons advanced to the I-AA semifinals and earned San Gabriel Valley League Player of the Year as well as first-team Press-Telegram Dream Team. Dominguez beat Fairfax in the Les Schwab Tournament final in Portland in late December and he earned All-Tournament honors there as well.

SAYS FRANK BURLISON OF THE LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM
"His physical dimensions and ability to create high-percentage shots for teammates as well as himself are on the same plateau (as former ASU All-American James Harden). And, as did Harden several years ago, King will have an immediate impact on the Sun Devils."