.jpg) King with the NBA Global Academy in 2020 | |
| Cangrejeros de Santurce | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | Baloncesto Superior Nacional |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2002-06-11)11 June 2002 (age 22) Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealand / American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Brisbane State (Brisbane, Queensland) |
| NBA draft | 2023: 2nd round, 47th overall pick |
| Selected by theLos Angeles Lakers | |
| Playing career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
| 2018 | Brisbane Capitals |
| 2019 | BA Centre of Excellence |
| 2020–2021 | Cairns Taipans |
| 2021–2022 | Adelaide 36ers |
| 2022 | Southland Sharks |
| 2022–2023 | NBA G League Ignite |
| 2023–2024 | Indiana Mad Ants |
| 2024–2025 | New Zealand Breakers |
| 2025–present | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Mojave King (/məˈhɑːvi/mə-HAH-vee;[1] born 11 June 2002) is a New Zealand-American professionalbasketball player forCangrejeros de Santurce of theBaloncesto Superior Nacional. He began his career in the AustralianNational Basketball League (NBL) in 2020, playing his first season for theCairns Taipans. After a season with theAdelaide 36ers, he joined theNBA G League Ignite in 2022. He was selected by theLos Angeles Lakers with the 47th overall pick in the2023 NBA draft.
King was born inDunedin, New Zealand.[2] He was named after theMojave Desert in the southwesternUnited States.[3]
In 2007, at the age of four, King moved with his family toMackay, Queensland, when his father accepted a role to coach the Mackay Meteors in Australia's semi-professionalQueensland Basketball League (QBL).[4] The family settled inBrisbane four years later when King's father accepted a position to coach the Brisbane Spartans in theSouth East Australian Basketball League.[5] There he attendedBrisbane State High School.[5]
In 2018, King played one game in the QBL for theBrisbane Capitals.[6]
In 2019, King joined theNBA Global Academy, a training centre at theAustralian Institute of Sport inCanberra. In association with the academy, he played for theBA Centre of Excellence in theNBL1, an Australian semi-professional league.[5] Later that year, King represented Queensland South at the Australian Under-18 Championships, where he led the competition in scoring with 26.6 points per game.[5] At the NBA Academy Games inAtlanta, Georgia in July 2019, he averaged a tournament-high 19.2 points per game.[3]
On 12 March 2020, at the age of 17, King signed with theCairns Taipans of theNational Basketball League (NBL) as a part of the league'sNext Stars program to developNBA draft prospects.[7][8] By joining the NBL, he turned down offers from severalNCAA Division I programs, includingArizona,Baylor,Oregon andVirginia.[9] During the2020–21 season, King averaged 6.2 points and 2.4 rebounds.[10]
On 14 July 2021, King was transferred to theAdelaide 36ers for the final year of his Next Stars contract.[11]
On 19 April 2022, King signed with theSouthland Sharks for the2022 New Zealand NBL season.[12]
On 7 September 2022, King signed a contract with theNBA G League Ignite.[13] He was named to the G League's inaugural Next Up Game for the 2022–23 season.[14]
King was selected with the 47th overall pick in the2023 NBA draft by theLos Angeles Lakers. His draft rights were then immediately traded to theIndiana Pacers.[15] He became just the third New Zealand-born player to be picked in the NBA draft, followingSean Marks andSteven Adams.[16] He subsequently played for the Pacers in the2023 NBA Summer League.[17] In October 2023, he joined theIndiana Mad Ants, the Pacers'NBA G League affiliate.[18] He appeared in 15 games for the Mad Ants in the2023–24 NBA G League season, averaging 3.9 points in 8.9 minutes per game.[19]
On 18 April 2024, King signed with theNew Zealand Breakers for the2024–25 NBL season.[20] On 7 January 2025, he was ruled out for four weeks due to a calf injury.[21]
In March 2025, King signed withCangrejeros de Santurce of theBaloncesto Superior Nacional for the 2025 season.[22]
King is the son ofLeonard and Tracey King (née Paul).[2] His father is from the United States and played in New Zealand and coached in Australia.[2][3][23] His mother is a New Zealand native and played NCAA basketball forDuquesne.[24] His older sister, Tylah, played forPacific in the NCAA.[3] King's maternal grandfather, John Paul, coached basketball inOtago for over 50 years and is one of the region's most prominent basketball figures.[2]
King is adual citizen of New Zealand and the United States.[25] As of 2019, he did not hold an Australian passport.[25] He has signalled his intentions to represent theAustralian national team.[25][24]
