Former Memphis East basketball star Nick King writing a happy ending at MTSU

Middle Tennessee State wasn't much on Nick King's radar when he was a highly recruited basketball star at East High. But four years, three universities and one lung infection later, Murfreesboro is starting to feel like home.

"I saw him a bunch," said Blue Raiders coach Kermit Davis of the player who led the Mustangs to a Class AAA state championship in 2012 and was named Mr. Basketball as a senior the following year.

"We threw our hat in the ring. We took our 100-1 shot in the Kentucky Derby. But sometimes you just have to get the Power 5 out of your eyes. The third time has been the charm."

And how.

Playing as a graduate transfer, he's averaging 24.3 points while leading the Blue Raiders to a 7-1 record heading into Saturday's game against Auburn in Birmingham.

King averaged 5.9 points in 62 career games with the Tigers. After transferring to Alabama for the 2016-17 season, he only managed to play in seven games before the lung infection ended his year.

So what happened? 

"God had perfect timing," King said.

And Davis had a perfect plan to best utilize the talents of King, who enrolled at MTSU after graduating from Alabama with a degree in business management. Davis didn't waste time trying to fit King into a predetermined mold.

"Just go play," said Davis. "Lebron James, Draymond Green ... what does it matter if you're a two or a three or a four? Just go play.

"He's a hard match-up. He's got great shoulder strength. He can drive and he can make the outside shot."

So far, King has been making just about any kind of shot. Through the first eight games, he was shooting 55.5 percent from the floor and 84.9 percent from the free throw line. Just once — a 7-of-18 effort against Vanderbilt on Dec. 6 — has he been under 50 percent in a game.

He's scored 20 or more points in the last seven games, including 25 in a victory over Ole Miss last Saturday.

"The coaches (at MTSU) have trust in me to show what I can do," said King. "In the past, coaches always wanted a back-to-the-basket four. But I'm not a traditional four and I can exploit mismatches.

"The coaches here love their job and they expect you to do a lot. And I want to do whatever it takes."

King acknowledges that a Conference USA championship and a run in the NCAA tournament would be a nice way to wrap up a college career that hasn't unfolded like he envisioned as an 18-year-old.

"I look back on some of my old Tweets ... I was clueless about college," he said. "Nothing is guaranteed and sometimes doors are closed. I've always had high expectations ... but I'm happy now."

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas