Deondre King is a senior at Pattonville High School and one of the starting guards for the varsity boys’ basketball team. In his last game against McCluer North, he dropped 22 points and helped the Pirates during their fourth quarter comeback to beat the Stars. When he was asked about it, he humbly said that he was more focused on getting the win.

He went to Pattonville as a sixth grader until the beginning of his junior year, but then he left for Kansas.

“I moved to get my head right,” King said. “My mind was on things it shouldn’t have been.”

He went to Leavenworth High School and played on their varsity basketball team.

“I really disliked Leavenworth High, the basketball team, and Kansas in general,” King said. “Where I stayed, there wasn’t really anything there to do and Kansas is extremely boring.”

He transferred back to Pattonville his senior year because he hated Kansas and he wasn’t going to play basketball for Leavenworth.

“When I came back, the team accepted me with open arms, like I never even left,” King said. “I love my team and playing with my friends. We actually care about each other. We are a family.”

This season, he is focused to prove to himself that he is still a great player.

“I was losing confidence in myself but I’m starting to get some of my confidence back. The coaches are helping me a lot out with that,” King said. “I know my strengths and my weaknesses. I shoot the ball really well, but my ball handling needs much more work.”

King has had a few colleges talk to him but he says he isn’t worried about it right now.

“I’m focused on this season. Getting better offers will come if I do what I have to do.”

This season, he is focused on one thing: “A state championship would be great. I mean what are goals if they aren’t big?”