- Kolby King, Utah State's 6-foot-1 guard, significantly impacts games beyond scoring.
- King excels in rebounding and defense, averaging 3.5 rebounds and low fouls.
- His shooting accuracy, 45% from 3-point range, adds depth to the Aggies' lineup.
LOGAN — Jerrod Calhoun's three-loss Utah State squad is filled with playmakers, sharpshooters, returning favorites, and a couple of outright stars.
Sitting near the top of the Mountain West in the last season in the conference, the Aggies have plenty of talented players to fill up a highlight reel.
Frequently lost in the noise and the replays are the role players who can make the difference between conference title contention and NCAA Tournament aspirations, and a .500 season with an early conference tournament flameout.
Calmly residing in that overlooked area on the bench for Utah State is senior guard Kolby King.
King averaged only 19.5 minutes and 7.8 points per game before his 20-point breakout performance against Wyoming on Wednesday, but he's had a sizeable impact for the Aggies that goes far beyond his nightly box score.
As one of the first off the bench at a talented guard position, King brings depth that gives his team a higher gear and presents another layer of difficulty for opponents.
In Utah State's recent two-game losing streak, one of the biggest glaring faults was the lack of bench production, including from King. In the team's latest two-game winning streak, the Aggies bench, led by King, put together the quality minutes needed to win games.
"I love Kolby," said Calhoun. "The last two games, he's played well, and what we highlighted against Colorado State were steals; it wasn't the 20 points. So, if you keep just having small victories every day, it's going to add up. And tonight, he had a breakout game."
Despite standing at just 6-foot-1, making him the shortest player on the team, his ballhawk abilities have caught the attention of his coaches and teammates. While seeing fewer minutes, King averages 3.5 rebounds per game, the second highest among Aggies guards — only behind Mason Falslev's 5.8 rebounds per game — and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds against the Cowboys.
"We did our background check on Kolby at Butler; everything kind of checked off. We knew he could play the point, we knew he could play combo," Calhoun said. "What I didn't understand is how good a rebounder he is. He has an unbelievable burst to go get defensive rebounds."
While rebounding is a strength, King brings more to the table than just his impressive verticality. King is one of the Aggies' most lethal shooters, topping nearly 45% from 3-point range and 52% from the floor, both career-highs for the Butler transfer.
"I just put in the work each and every day, especially (shooting), to keep that consistent, because that's a major part of my game," King said. "Be able to shoot the ball well, play fast, play defense; that's a big piece of my game."
On the other end of the floor, King finds himself, again, at the top of Calhoun's roster.
King is consistently one of the Aggies' best defenders at the top of its two-three matchup zone. He also plays the stingy defense without fouling, the second-lowest fouls per game when adjusted for minutes played only behind MJ Collins Jr.
"We've got a lot of talented guys on this team, so just doing what the team wants me to do, which is defense. My defense turns to offense, and if it's my night, it's my night," King said. "If it's not my night, what are the ways that I impact the game? Rebounding, playing hard on defense, that's what I do. So, I really focus on that."
King does that while embracing his role on the team and not worrying about more than racking up victories, or staying atop the conference standings and looking toward another NCAA Tournament berth.
"All I'm doing — I'm trying to win," King said. "I'm just embracing winning right now, trying to get to the tournament."
In a transfer portal era that rewards players for individual stat lines and high-profile metrics, King offers a different element for Calhoun's Aggies, one that is scarcely found anywhere else.
