"Humble upbringing" inpires Kings' quest

He may be just two games into his return to the Hungry Jack’s NBL, but Sydney Kings recruit Torrey Craig is already making a massive impact.

The American forward, who has 538 NBA games to his name, produced a man-of-the-match performance on Sunday during the Kings’ win over leaders Adelaide.

While the former Cairns Taipan and Brisbane Bullet looms as a key piece in the Kings’ chase for a sixth NBL championship, in a recent interview with CODE Sports, he explained that a “humble upbringing”, with no parents, helped his selfless personality.

“It [growing up in South Carolina] was a humble upbringing, but there were a lot of other kids in those situations, and I was just one of the fortunate ones who made it out. I know plenty of kids who experienced similar situations, and it went the opposite way for them,” Craig said to CODE Sports.

“It’s why I go back to the communities and tell my story to inspire those guys to give them some sort of hope.”

That’s why, when it came to choosing his next stop, after last playing for the Boston Celtics, Craig decided on a spot that would not only help him develop but also where he felt ‘part of something bigger’.

“When I was with Cairns, we lost the Championship Series on the buzzer to the Breakers [and it still hurts],” Craig said to Kings Media.

“When this opportunity to play for Sydney came up [after saying no to other opportunities], I wanted to be a part of that, as I knew how much everyone wants to win and bring a championship to Sydney.

“Despite being 35 and having some recent injuries, I still feel like I’m in my prime and can contribute to winning, because in my mind, that trumps everything.

“I’m willing to fill whatever role and position the team needs me to achieve our goal.”

Sydney hosts Illawarra in an all-NSW matchup at Qudos Bank Arena from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.

Read the full story here >> How a childhood with no parents inspired Torrey Craig’s hoops dream