They share a brotherly love for the game, but never before together on the same team. The King siblings will finally be united on a lacrosse floor.
With a five-year age difference between them, Jesse and Marshal King never played on the same teams growing up. They finally get their chance tonight at The Q Centre when they suit up for the Victoria Shamrocks in a Western Lacrosse Association game against the New Westminster Salmonbellies.
鈥淭his has been long-awaited,鈥� said younger-sibling Marshal King, who returns this week, after ending his four-season NCAA Div. 1 field lacrosse career at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
鈥淓very time I was called up from the Junior Shamrocks to the senior team, my brother was injured. Our sister Natalie is also a player, and there is only two years difference between her and me, and she played on boys鈥� teams, so I have played more lacrosse with her than I have with Jesse.鈥�
Jesse King, also an NCAA standout during his career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, returned to the Shamrocks after helping lead the Calgary Roughnecks to the professional National Lacrosse League championship.
The chance for the Claremont Secondary graduate brothers to play on the same team almost didn鈥檛 happen when the Maple Ridge Burrards, selecting ahead of the Shamrocks, took Marshal King in the first round of the 2019 WLA draft.
鈥淚 had dreamed about playing for the Shamrocks since I was a kid,鈥� said Marshal King.
鈥淏ut I had faith.鈥�
That was rewarded when the Shamrocks traded Jeff Shattler for Marshal King following the draft. Shattler is one of the best transition players in the world and it was a steep price, but one the Shamrocks were more than willing to pay, to get a hometown product who is considered one of the brightest young prospects in the sport.
鈥淚 play with variety and fit into roles well,鈥� said Marshal King, explaining his style.
Marshal King graduated with a degree in sports management and business administration from Drexel but never made the NCAA tournament. The immediate dreams on the floor are to win a Mann Cup with the Shamrocks and go high in the 2019 NLL draft this fall. He said being selected by the Roughnecks and joining his brother in Calgary in the pro ranks would be another dream come true, but as he discovered with the WLA draft, nothing is guaranteed when teams are on the clock and start selecting.
Although he has never played on the same team with his older brother, Marshal said he has learned a lot from watching Jesse, especially when the latter rehabbed after missing an entire season and then some to about as bad a knee injury an athlete can incur.
鈥淲e鈥檙e both very emotional players and people, but I鈥檝e seen how Jesse has learned patience and controls his emotions,鈥� said Marshal. 鈥淭hat has been a very big lesson for me.鈥�
As for the Shamrocks鈥� shocking 1-4 start to the season, Marshal King is philosophic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely not what I expected coming back,鈥� he admitted.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 early and we will get it right and find our identity.
The Salmonbellies are 4-1 on the floor but 3-2 in the standings after a victory over Nanaimo was taken away because of the use of an ineligible player. The Shamrocks conclude the weekend by hosting the league-leading Burrards (6-1) on Sunday evening at The Q Centre.
