User:Peridon/Mark Anthony King

Mark King is a minor league professional basketball player and owner of the Orlando, Florida area based Florida Flight. The Florida Flight debuted in the WBA in 2010 and moved to the CBL in 2011. In 2012, King led a group to form the Florida Basketball Association (FBA), of which the Flight have been a member team ever since.

King's notoriety is mostly due to his perseverance. He was cut from every basketball team that he tried out for before high school, but walked on at Pikeville College (now University of Pikeville), an NAIA Division 1 college in eastern Kentucky. After red-shirting his first season, King was moved up to varsity at the end of his Freshmen year. He was again cut before the start of his sophomore season (1998).

Refusing to give up, King set his eyes on playing in the minor league basketball system, hoping to garner the attention of NBA scouts. In 2006, after relocating to Orlando, Florida, King attended a free agent tryout camp, and signed his first professional basketball playing contract by the Orlando Aces of the American Basketball Association. Financial struggles plagued the team, forcing King to seek a new and more stable opportunity. His search led him to the East Kentucky Miners of the Continental Basketball Association, conveniently placed in Pikeville, Kentucky, home to his alma mater.

King was signed by the East Kentucky Miners on November 6, 2007, along with Herb Gibson (University of Michigan), Reo Logan (Georgia State), and fellow Bear Daniel Price (University of Pikeville) [1]. He was placed on the inactive roster before the start of the regular season, but remained on staff as the Equipment Manager, affording him the opportunity to participate in practices and work out with the team. He was re-activated towards the end of the season, participating in the final home game of the regular season against the Atlanta Krunk. The East Kentucky Miners set a record for the most points scored by a team (194) operating in a professional basketball league sanctioned by USA Basketball.[2] King contributed 5 points, 2 assists and 1 steal in the record-setting victory. [3] WYMT, a CBS affiliate station, interviewed King about the experience days later. [4]

After being cut again, King turned down his third offer to play for the now defunct Chicago Throwbacks of the Premier Basketball League. Instead, he focused his attention on building his own team in his new home state of Florida. He launched the Florida Flight in 2010. [5] After playing seasons in the disappointing World Basketball Association (WBA) in 2010 and the Continental Basketball League (CBL) in 2011, King formed the Florida Basketball Association in 2012.

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Education
High School: 1991-1994: Wayne Memorial High School Wayne, MI

College: 2002: BA in Religion, University of Pikeville 2009: Master in Organiational Leadership, Palm Beach Atlantic University

Professional Experience
2006/2007: Orlando Aces American Basketball Association

2007/2008: East Kentucky Miners Continental Basketball Association

2010–2012: Florida Flight - Owner/Player

Personal life
Mark is married to Mary Florence King and they have two daughters, Angelica and Izabella.