Athlete profile: Zariyah King

Leading on and off the court is Berkeley High School senior Zariyah King, who serves as both Student Body President and captain of the girls varsity basketball team. Since she was in the fourth grade, when King was first introduced to the sport, she knew she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her older brother who now plays professional basketball in Mexico. Before joining an organized team, King practiced with her brother, with him training her to become the player she is today. “I enjoy basketball partly because it’s like a connection with my brother … Just like being around him, just spending that time with him was really special,” King shared. Balancing both roles of team captain and school president can be challenging, but King views these roles as an opportunity to grow as a leader. She explained how the two roles complement one another, allowing her to draw different leadership qualities from each experience. King cherishes the camaraderie and connection among the team, sharing, “It gets to be kind of a lot sometimes, but I always feel very privileged to lead such a great group of girls,”King said, “just like all the different energies and everything. We all get along with each other really well. It’s just an honor.”