Klairus Amir, an Australian four-star U.S. high school recruit, has signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings, sources told ESPN.
Amir, who was born in Sydney and spent the majority of his childhood in the city, will be a development player for the first two years of the deal, sources said, before being elevated to a roster spot for the 2025-26 NBL season.
Amir, 17, just completed his junior year at Dream City Christian School in Glendale, Arizona, and spent the end of April on the Nike EYBL circuit. Earlier in 2023, Amir was among those selected to take part in the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global camp at the NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 6'7 wing was once as high as 16th on ESPN's class of 2024 rankings, collecting offers from Oklahoma, Sacramento State, Xavier, George Mason, and Penn State. He's currently a four-star recruit, ranked just outside ESPN's top-100. The signing means Amir will forgo the opportunity to play college basketball, in order to begin his professional career in the NBL.
Amir is a bigger guard who can handle it well for his size and, though he struggled from downtown during the BWB Global Camp in Utah, the Sydney-native is regarded as a high-level shooter.
In 2022, Amir was part of the selection camp for the Australian U19 national team.
Amir joins a Kings roster that currently has Dejan Vasiljevic, Angus Glover, Shaun Bruce, Jaylin Galloway, Kouat Noi, Jordan Hunter, and Makuach Maluach contracted.
The Kings are coming off back-to-back NBL championships, posting a 19-9 record over the 2022-23 season, en route to winning a second straight title under head coach Chase Buford.