RICHMOND, Ky. – Darius Hicks, a 6-8 forward from Quitman, Mississippi, has signed to play basketball at Eastern Kentucky University, it was announced on Friday, April 20.
Hicks (pictured with his mother) is a transfer from North Carolina State University, where he played two seasons for the Wolfpack.
He appeared in 21 games as a freshman in 2016-17, and he played in four games a sophomore in 2017-18 before suffering a season-ending injury. Before the injury, Hicks was averaging 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds-per-game for N.C. State.
Hicks will have to sit out the 2018-19 season. He will be eligible to play for the Colonels beginning in 2019-20.
“I’m extremely excited to welcome Darius into the Eastern Kentucky family,” said EKU coach A.W. Hamilton said. “He has a high basketball IQ and is one of the most explosive players in the country. He helps us stay old and will be a guy who is physically ready to play from day one. I love Darius as a young man, and I appreciate his effort in the classroom as a Dean’s List caliber student. He will be an asset to our university and our community.”
Hicks chose to attend N.C. State over the University of Cincinnati in the spring of 2016. He was a consensus three-star recruit out of high school by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout.
Hicks attended 22 Feet Academy in Greenville, South Carolina for his senior season after spending the first three years of his prep career at Quitman (Miss.) High School. As a senior, he averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds-per-game. As a junior, he posted 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds-per-game to lead Quitman to a 30-3 record and a berth in the MHSAA Class 4 state title game.
Hicks also had interest from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and Old Dominion before choosing EKU.
He is the second recruit to ink with Hamilton, who took over the EKU program on March 23. Tre King, a 6-8 skilled forward out of Hargrave Military Academy, also signed with the Colonels on April 18.
King (pictured) is originally from Lexington, Ky., and attended Lexington Christian Academy before transferring to Hargrave (in Chatham, Virginia) in 2016.
“We are ecstatic to welcome Tre King into the Eastern Kentucky family,” Hamilton said. “Tre comes from one of the best prep programs in the country, Hargrave Military Academy, where he had a terrific coach in Lee Martin. Tre is a high character kid who also happens to be a tremendous player. His ability to play and guard multiple positions is something that will translate right away in the system we will have in place here at EKU. His mom and dad, Rosalynn and Marvin, are about all the right things, and for our program Tre is a perfect fit.”
King was a team captain at Hargrave this past season and helped lead the Tigers to a 33-4 record, a No. 4 national ranking and an appearance in the National Prep Championship Elite 8.
He averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks-per-game during the 2017-18 season.
King also held offers from Murray State and Old Dominion.
Photos by EKU Athletics
