The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

TWO Bahamian basketball players have found new opportunities to continue their college careers after productive 2025-26 seasons, but both are entering the 2026-27 season under different circumstances.

Ambrozino “AJ” Storr has committed to UNLV after receiving another year of eligibility, while Fredrick King Jr has announced his return to Creighton but is still waiting for a court ruling that could determine whether he is allowed to play a fifth college season.

The 22-year-old centre confirmed his return to Creighton this week after spending last season at Murray State, where he established himself as one of the top frontcourt players in the Missouri Valley Conference.

According to Omaha television station WOWT, King is one of 10 college basketball players involved in a temporary injunction case against the NCAA. The lawsuit was filed August 13 in Louisville, Kentucky, with the players seeking a fifth season of eligibility.

King is a core plaintiff in Mitchell v. NCAA, a case led by former Missouri player Mark Mitchell.

WOWT reported that King’s status for the 2026-27 season depends on the outcome of the case. His return to Creighton is therefore a commitment, but not yet confirmation that he will be eligible to play. King is seeking the additional season after completing four years of college basketball.

He began his college career at Creighton in 2022-23 after becoming the first Bahamian to enrol at the NBA Academy Latin America and developing into one of the top prospects in the region.

Creighton signed King in April 2022. The 6-foot-10 centre was ranked No. 133 nationally in the 247Sports recruiting rankings and had also received interest from BYU, Georgia Tech and Utah.

Former Creighton coach Greg McDermott described King as a versatile and athletic frontcourt player with the motor and competitiveness to make an immediate impact. 

He earned Big East Freshman of the Week honours in December 2022 after averaging 16 points, 10.5 rebounds and four blocks over two games. Against Arizona State, he recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks before following that performance with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks against Marquette. 

He finished his freshman season averaging 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 63 per cent from the field.

His role decreased over the next two seasons as Creighton had veteran frontcourt talent, including All-American centre Ryan Kalkbrenner.

King averaged 1.0 point and 1.0 rebound as a sophomore in 2023-24 before producing 2.4 points and 1.0 rebound as a junior in 2024-25.

Over three seasons with the Bluejays, King appeared in 57 games and averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 61.3 per cent from the field. 

The decision to transfer to Murray State for the 2025-26 season changed his career.

King reunited with Ryan Miller, who had been an assistant coach at Creighton before becoming Murray State’s head coach. The move gave King the opportunity to become a starter and featured player.

King started 20 games and averaged 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 64.8 per cent from the field. He also shot 57.1 per cent from three-point range, although his perimeter attempts were limited. 

The production earned him First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honours and MVC Newcomer of the Year recognition.  

Creighton is entering a new era following McDermott’s retirement, with Alan Huss taking over as head coach. King’s return would give the Bluejays an experienced big man who has already played in the programme and is coming off the best statistical season of his college career. The only question is whether he will be allowed to play.

Storr, meanwhile, already has his eligibility situation settled. Storr, who turns 23 on August 26, was granted an injunction in Tennessee on July 31 that gave him another season of eligibility and allowed him to transfer. The ruling came as part of a legal challenge involving several Division I basketball players from the high school class of 2022. 

The NCAA had adopted a new five for five eligibility model for athletes entering college in 2026 27, allowing five seasons of competition within a five year period. Athletes from the 2022 high school class were left outside of that new structure after completing four seasons, leading to multiple lawsuits. A federal judge in Colorado later issued a class wide preliminary injunction granting an additional season to qualifying members of the 2022 class.  He will enter his fifth college season and his fifth different programme.

Storr began his college career at St John’s in 2022-23, where he averaged 8.8 points per game as a freshman and earned Big East All-Freshman Team recognition.

He transferred to Wisconsin for his sophomore season and had the strongest statistical year of his college career.

Storr averaged 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 36 appearances, shooting 43.4 per cent from the field. He earned Second Team All-Big Ten honours and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.

After one season with the Badgers, Storr transferred to Kansas. His role was reduced during the 2024-25 season. He averaged 6.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 34 games while shooting 38.4 per cent from the field and 29.1 per cent from three-point range.

Storr transferred again for the 2025-26 season, joining Ole Miss. He averaged 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 35 games for the Rebels, while shooting 44.8 per cent from the field and 35 per cent from three-point range.

The Transfer Portal announcement from On3 noted that Storr earned All-SEC Tournament recognition after his performances during Ole Miss’ postseason run.

Storr’s fifth season will now take him to UNLV, where he will play for head coach Josh Pastner.

Storr will head to UNLV looking to build on his resurgence at Ole Miss, while King is hoping the court case gives him the opportunity to return to the programme where his college career began, this time as a proven starter and conference award winner rather than the young reserve who left Creighton after three seasons.