Four-star guard King Grace eager for big things at Mississippi State
On3 four-star prospect King Grace has spent the past few years preparing for this moment. Naturally, the 2025 point guard from Faith Family (Texas) Academy saw all of his hard work pay off Wednesday when he officially signed with Mississippi State.
However, Grace also realizes that in many ways, the work is just now beginning for his future on the basketball court. Grace is rated as the nation’s No. 7 point guard and the state’s No. 5 prospect by On3 composite. With his ranking, Grace is also the highest-rated signee for head coach Chris Jans during his coaching career.
“It means a lot,” Grace stated. “It shows the work we put in and you see that work come through. But it also means I get to a place where I have to put in even more work. But I like that and I’m embracing it. I can’t wait for it.”
And being pushed to his limits is a major reason for Grace’s Bulldog decision. When he initially committed to the Bulldogs in September, Grace pointed to Jans and his staff as a positive factor in his decision-making process.
“I’m going to a place at Mississippi State where you have to work even harder and I love that,” added the 6-foot-2 and 170-pound Grace, who averaged 20.4 points and 4.3 boards last season. “I will be with a staff that is going to push me to my limits and make me work hard. That’s why I picked at Mississippi State. They are going to help me and see how far I can get. That really helped me to settle in with my decision.”
Of course, Grace still faced the normal ups and downs on the recruiting scene. Before choosing the Bulldogs, Grace had narrowed down his long list of offers to State, LSU, Cincinnati, TCU, SMU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. While making one of the biggest decisions of his life thus far, Grace feels confident he made the right call once all of the dust settled.
“Looking back, I know I made the right decision,” Grace remarked. “It was stressful at times because it’s your life. So you think sometimes about whether you made a wrong decision. So you stress about making the right choice and you have to choose which staff is better. It is hard because you have to think about every decision you make on the court. But it’s a weight lifted off your shoulders when you decide and that’s a great feeling.”
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Grace is planning to enroll at Mississippi State in June and wants to hit the ground running. This past season, he took notice of Josh Hubbard’s breakout freshman campaign with the Bulldogs and wants to follow that same path in Starkville.
“I want to make an impact early,” noted Grace. “And I know how hard it is going to be but I am ready to put in the hard work. I saw it happen last year there with Josh Hubbard. So I am going to come in and be the best I can, and I know I can do that. I have the coaching staff that believes in me and believes I can get there.”
Grace is also eager for those weekly battles in the SEC, which has steadily progressed as the nation’s top basketball conference. Yes, the competition will be fiercer than Grace has ever faced. But it’s a challenge he welcomes with open arms.
“I feel great about being in the SEC,” mentioned Grace. “A lot of people worry that ‘oh no, it’s going to be too hard’. But I know I will be ready because I am going to work and my coaches are going to get me ready. I am excited and it’s great to face the best of the best at the next level.”