NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State men's basketball head coach Ryan Pedon has announced the addition of Zaxton King, beginning for the 2026-27 season.
"Zaxton King is a great addition to our recruiting class," said Pedon. "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."
King, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, played his first two seasons at former Missouri Valley Conference rival Missouri State. Last season as a sophomore he averaged 7.3 points with 71 rebounds and 61 assists, while committing just 25 turnovers. He had 27 steals, five blocked shots, and made 42 percent of his shots from the field. He also made 30 percent of his three-point tries (38-of-125) and was 75.8 percent (47-of-62) from the charity stripe, including making his first 19 free throws of the season.
He led Missouri State in scoring four times, and had 11 double-digit scoring games, including a season-high 18 points in the third game of the season against Arkansas State where he made 7-of-9 shots from the field with five rebounds, a block, and a steal. He also scored 16 points at Delaware on December 29. He dished out multiple assists 15 times, including three times giving out a season-high four assists. He had a season-high five rebounds twice in his first three games of the season and twice had a season-high three steals during the season.
During his freshman season with the Bears, he averaged 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while adding 27 steals. He made 40 percent of his field goal tries, 38 percent (57-of-149) from long range, and 75 percent from the free throw line.
He was named the MVC Freshman of the Week on January 13 after scoring 17 points against UIC and 23 points at Southern Illinois in mid-January. He scored in double-digits 10 times during the year, including the career-high 23 he tallied against the Salukis. He also added 19 points against Murray State on February 1, and 18 against UT Arlington on November 19. His scoring total was the 10th-best in MSU history for a freshman and his 54 three-point baskets are the third-most in Missouri State history for a freshman. He was also named to the MVC Academic Honor Roll, and to the MSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll during spring of 2025.
Outside of basketball, King supports CrossRoads Restoration, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Topeka, Kan., that provides critical services for at-risk young men, ages 13–18. King's personal contributions of his NIL resources help CRDC provide safe housing to restore, equip and train these youth to reach their full potential physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. King and other staff help the young men through daily struggles while teaching and encouraging them to become model citizens.
At Lawrence High School in Kansas, he was named Class 6A First Team All-State over his last three seasons, where he averaged 28.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game as a senior. He was named the Sunflower League Player of the Year and Area Player of the Year as a senior and junior. During his junior season he averaged 24.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, while making 37 percent of his long-range tries, helping the team advance to the sub-state finals in 2022-23. During his sophomore season he averaged 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, helping his Lion squad to a 17-5 record while also shooting 76.5 percent from the free throw line, and 45 percent from the field.
The Redbirds are coming off a 23-13 season in 2025-26, advancing to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament with wins over Kent State, Wake Forest, and Dayton.
