Illinois State University announced on Apr. 29 that Zaxton King will join the men’s basketball team for the 2026-27 season, according to head coach Ryan Pedon.
King comes to Illinois State after two seasons at Missouri State, where he scored over 500 points and recorded more than 150 rebounds and over 100 assists in his college career so far. Pedon said, “Zaxton King is a great addition to our recruiting class. He fills immediate needs for us from a basketball standpoint and we feel that his skills will mesh perfectly with the guards currently on our roster. Zaxton has great size (6-4) and length (6-7 wingspan) for a perimeter player and that will serve him well in a conference that he knows well. In his first two years at the college level, Zaxton has already scored over 500 points, grabbed over 150 rebounds, and has over 100 assists. He is an experienced two-way player that will bring immediate value to our program on both sides of the ball. We are very excited about welcoming Zaxton to our Redbird Basketball family. We have great belief in who he is, what he will bring to our program, and in what we feel he can become in the years ahead.”
Last season as a sophomore at Missouri State, King averaged 7.3 points per game with notable contributions including leading his team in scoring four times and reaching double digits eleven times during the year. As reported by the official website, Illinois State Redbirds benefits from the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund which supports competitiveness and recruitment efforts such as this addition.
King’s background includes being named Class 6A First Team All-State three times during high school at Lawrence High School in Kansas while also earning Sunflower League Player of the Year honors twice. Outside of basketball, King supports CrossRoads Restoration Inc., contributing personal NIL resources to help provide services for at-risk youth.
The Redbirds finished their most recent season with a record of 23-13 after advancing to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament with wins against Kent State, Wake Forest, and Dayton. According to the official website, Illinois State Redbirds men’s basketball team posted an eight-win start among its best performances.
Illinois State Redbirds is linked to Illinois State University according to its official website and competes across NCAA Division I events according to its official website. The athletic program utilizes facilities like OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for student-athlete preparation according to its official website while offering news updates, schedules, rosters and fan resources through its online platform according to its official website.
