Scottsdale (Az.) Bella Vista forward Jamel King never could have imagined how quick things can change.
King, 6-foot-7, 185-pounds, had already signed with New Mexico and was planning his future there when he found out that his scholarship had essentially been promised to somebody else with the new coaching staff.
That led to him requesting his release from the Lobos.
Once that occurred, West Virginia, among others such as Oregon State and Nevada, sprang into action and made the versatile wing a priority in a short amount of time.
That culminated with a zoom meeting with the coaching staff Wednesday where he was able to get a virtual tour of camps and a feel for the program.
“I fell in love with it instantly,” he said.
And then a follow up call with assistant Erik Martin Thursday where he received the news that the Mountaineers were offering a scholarship.
“Me and my mom took about 10-minutes to talk things over and then I committed,” he said.
The Rivals.com three-star prospect picked West Virginia sight unseen, aside from pictures and a virtual tour, and is set to arrive on campus next week to begin his career.
Fresh off a season where he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, King will play the three in Morgantown and understands that his role will be as a role player to start. But that’s fine with him as he is excited to compete at the highest level and showcase his abilities.
“Coach Martin said I’m real athletic and you can shoot the ball really well,” he said.
Sometimes things happen for a reason and King is excited to start his career in Morgantown with a fresh slate on a bigger stage at the power five level.
“I’m really excited. You can just hear it in my voice,” he said. “What made me decide to come to West Virginia was the coaching staff. They were real supportive and looking at player development. Coach (Bob) Huggins is going to make me become a great player and the fan base is crazy.”
The Uniontown, Alabama native is excited to move onto the next step even if at times it still seems almost hard to believe with how quickly it all came together.
“I really couldn’t have imagined this,” he said.