Living with the first name King could be burdensome. A heavy weight to bear, especially for a teen.
But Riordan junior basketball and football standout King-Njhsanni Wilhite wears it well, while setting an example for his younger brothers Prince and Duke.
“I’ve always loved it,” Wilhite said. “I’m glad my mom and dad gave it to me.”
Being a volume shooter and scorer on the basketball court also carries a burden and it’s a role Wilhite embraces. Even if the shot isn’t always open. Even if multiple shots fail. Even if there are murmurs from the crowd, questioning shot selection and claiming selfishness.
“I trust my work,” said Wilhite, a 6-foot, ½-inch, 173-pound guard. “Every time I shoot I do so with supreme confidence because of all the time and effort I’ve put into it. I’ve worked too hard to stop.”
Heading into Friday’s game at St. Ignatius, no one could stop, even slow, Wilhite. He put up a five-game stretch of 166 points that included a West Catholic Athletic League school-record 41-point effort versus visiting Sacred Heart Cathedral and a pair of 35-point outings. That pushed his league scoring average to better than 27 per game.
He shoots 85% from the free-throw line and 50% from the 3-point arc.
His 41 broke the Riordan league mark of former NBA player Kevin Restani who had 38 in a 1969 game versus Mitty. His onslaught had local historians comparing his numbers with other school legends like Dwayne Fontana, Marquise Kately, John Tofi and Dior Lowhorn, along with more recent stars Chiefy Ugbaja, Je’Lani Clark and Bryce Monroe.
“Frankly, I’ve never seen anything quite like it (the five game surge) in all the WCAL and I’ve been around since the late 90s,” Riordan coach Joe Curtin said. “Especially for a guard. It’s one thing for an Aaron Gordon to dominate the paint and pick up a lot of baskets around the rim. King does it in a completely different way.”
He’s been doing it his way since entering high school at St. Ignatius, earning All-WCAL and All-Metro honors as a freshman. His signature game was 27-point outing in a Central Coast Section championship win over SHC.
Wilhite transferred to Riordan as a sophomore and struggled at times, between COVID-19 and learning the new system. Not at the end, however. He exploded for 35 points in the CCS Open Division finals, a 69-63 overtime loss at Mitty.
Mitty coach Tim Kennedy is still shaking his head over how to slow the versatile guard.
“He is definitely a challenge to defend,” Mitty coach Tim Kennedy said. “He is an exceptional talent who has the ability to blow by defenders and then absorb contact and finish at the rim at varying angles. He also shoots it very well so it is difficult to give him space.”
On Jan. 22 against St. Francis, with the score tied 62-62, Wilhite blew past defenders for what looked to be a go-ahead layup with 30 seconds left. Inexplicably he missed, but grabbed his own rebound. He dribbled down the clock, drove through the lane and scored the game-winner at the buzzer. He scored 21 of his game-high 25 in the second half.
The Crusaders lost two Division I prospects — Zion Sensley and 7-footer Mor Seck — who transferred to Prolific Prep. With four new starters, the burden for Wilhite has been even greater.
He said it took him three or four games to get in the groove after the rigors of a football season in which he earned All-WCAL honorable mention honors as a cornerback and receiver. He said plans to play as a senior but that could change depending on basketball recruiting. He has offers from Washington State and San Jose State.
“I am a big proponent of playing multi-sports and didn’t discourage it at all,” Curtin said. “That said, I knew it would be a tough transition. But King is a special talent.”
MaxPreps senior writer Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.
February 06, 2022 at 06:30AM
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/high-school/article/I-ve-worked-too-hard-to-stop-Riordan-s-16834737.php
‘I’ve worked too hard to stop’: Riordan’s Wilhite stacks King-sized performances - San Francisco Chronicle
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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