Thunderbirds are go for Kingsley Box
Source: Supplied
Victorian guard Kingsley Box has committed to Southern Utah, increasing the Australian presence on the Thunderbirds roster to three next season.
"We are excited to have Kingsley part of our program," outlined head coach Todd Simon in the official release. "He is a big guard that can really shoot and score the basketball. His energy and effort combined with his basketball IQ made him a great fit for us. He's got a bright future as a Thunderbird."
Box joins fellow Aussies Jarryd Hoppo and Jason Spurgin at the T-Birds, with the 6'5 guard explaining that the opportunity to play basketball while combining his studies at a terrific school made the choice easy for him.
"The knowledge and success of the coaching staff, combined with their care for student athletes really appealed to me so I felt like it was the perfect fit," shared box with The Pick and Roll. "The college has also been recognised as having the best academic programs in the state which is something I value.
"My parents have been my biggest influence in helping me achieve my dream. I have also been fortunate enough to have great coaches who have played a large role in my development, such as Rob Gaze, Luke Sunderland, Matt Nunn and Nathan Cooper-Brown. I also cannot thank Darren and Adrian at Basketball Australia Pathways enough for their continued support throughout this recruitment process."
Box will make the journey to Cedar City having starred for both the Southern Sabres and his state. A 2019 Under 18 national champion with Victoria. At the 2020 Under 20 nationals, Box led Victoria A in scoring with 15.2 points per game, playing alongside Seattle commit Brody Nunn.
The exciting guard suited also up for the Sabres during the 2019 NBL1 season, averaging 11 points per game while logging some eye-catching performances as a 17-year-old playing against men. His 33 point explosion against eventual champions Nunawading was a performance to behold.
Basketball Australia Pathways CEO Darren Smith explained that Box has a great future in store for him in college.
"Kingsley was fantastic to work with as he was realistic with his college aspirations and he did everything it takes to have a successful recruitment campaign," shared Smith. "The Vic Metro athlete was one of the elite scorers in the 2020 intake and he gained interest from a range of division 1 programs that were seeking some extra perimeter shooting ability."
One of Box's junior coaches would explain the talents that the dynamic scoring guard would be bringing to the T-Birds.
"Kingsley is one of the highest rated scorers coming out of Australia," said Nunn, Box's Under 18 Victorian Championship Coach. "He shoots the three ball exceptionally well and has a deadly pull up game."
With his ability to score from mid-range to out beyond the arc, Box will arrive in Southern Utah hoping to make an immediate impact after the T-Birds finished the 2019/20 season in seventh place in the Big Sky Conference.