Recruiting Report: Gary Trent Jr. (2017)
Nov 20th Update Gary Trent Jr is a consensus five star talent nationwide in the 2017 class and the top highest rated recruit in Minnesota overall right now. Trent is what you would call a scorer. A guy that can…
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Continue ReadingNov 20th Update
Gary Trent Jr is a consensus five star talent nationwide in the 2017 class and the top highest rated recruit in Minnesota overall right now. Trent is what you would call a scorer. A guy that can score in all ways and at 6-foot-4/6-foot-5 weighing at a strong 195/200 pound area he is tough to contest around the basket.
The offer list has grown to include a lot of heavy hitters: UCLA, Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, Minnesota, Providence, and Duke.
Trent recently saw the Duke campus for the first time when he went down to Countdown to Craziness which opened the Blue Devil season along teammate Tre Jones. Gary told us at Rivals.com that the trip was about getting to know the team and the area.
“(It was) just to really better the relationship with Duke that we already have,” said Trent Jr. “Building on top of what we already have. Just seeing what the University is all about. I hadn't ever been there before. I had only seen pictures and heard stories.”
Gary is of course the son of Gary Trent Sr also known the “Shaq of the MAC” and a ten year NBA veteran. Fans can see Gary Trent Sr behind the bench of the Minnesota Timberwolves as he now works with the local franchise.
And with Jr and Sr in their names you can now understand why many call Gary “J.R.”. I have called Gary many of times in the past for articles and whatnot not sure if it’s more respectful to say Gary or JR but Trent let Rivals.com know the answer to that.
“All of family and friends call me J.R.,” he said. “Only some people at schools or people that see my name on a roster or something call me Gary. It came from being Gary Trent Jr. My dad told me that 'Junior' sounded too country, so he said let's call you J.R.”
Trent is coming off one of the best summers in recent memory as he was the top scorer for much of the EYBL season, he shot up to five star status, he was successful with USA Basketball’s 16U team, and he was traveling to fun places from June through September.
Along the way, Gary’s game also improved. But he also feels he has room to keep improving as well.
“I can get better in a lot of areas. I need to improve everywhere. I just want to be able to hit shots from all over the court and keep getting better defensively and working hard. I never want to stop improving.”
October 20th Update
Gary Trent Jr spent nearly every weekend from mid April until the start of the school year on the road for basketball. After finally getting some needed time at home, he was back on the move over MEA break checking out Duke and Kentucky.
Trent spoke recently to some media members out in Colorado about recruiting before he went on the visit.
“Coach K came to my school. Coach Izzo came to my school. Arizona came to my school. So, it's just great coaches,” Trent said after his visit.
With Tyus Jones having the one year success at Duke and his brother Tre Jones playing with Trent Jr, many around the country are naturally assuming Duke is a favorite, or the favorite.
Coach K was recently at Apple Valley High School talking with Trent.
“Really, (he talked about ) the things that he could do for me at the University, the track record of the University, the success that they've had over the years, and things like that.”
Another school that many relate to Trent is Ohio State as Columbus is the area he grew up in.
“Coach Thad Matta came up to my school with Coach Jeff Boals. It was great. We had a great conversation about what they could do and stuff like that.”
Tre Jones and Gary Trent Jr are talked about in the same sentence these days with both having won a state title, both playing for Team USA, both being Pulley Panthers, and now both grabbing similar offers including Minnesota and Duke.
The USA 16 and Under event was a big bond builder.
“Every time I (go out there) I enjoy myself. It's nothing but positive vibes. I get to see great players, good friends, and have fun playing basketball.”
Trent's game continues to lift to higher levels.
“I'm just (making) smarter decisions on the court. My athletic ability is coming together better, so it's all coming together. I always have a high confidence when I go on the court. It's fine. Everything's good.”
Aug 10th Update
Gary Trent Jr had one of the best summers we have seen around here in a long time. He went from a prospect that was a likely McDonald’s All American level player to a guy that everybody believes is the best shooting guard prospect in the nation for the 2017 class.
“Everything was good for me. The ability to play against high-level players at a camp, at tournaments or somewhere else it just really makes you better. There's no way you can't get better playing against great competition.”
Trent has flown all over the nation playing against the best and along the way the best teams in the nation continue to offer him scholarships. He visited UCLA a week ago he told NHR and then was offered a scholarship during the visit.
Trent talked to reporters at the end of July so there are no comments on the UCLA offer yet but there was much said on the other programs that recently offered:
Arizona. “I've seen in the past couple years the players they've put into the league and the players that have gone to their school. I don't really know too much about the university but as I take visits and build relationships with the coaches it should get better there. They showed interest during the school year with little letters and stuff like that. But then they just said they love how I was playing this summer and they wanted to offer me a scholarship. I just took it in stride and kept going.”
Kentucky. “It just shows that if you keep working hard good things will happen. It is obviously a great school and Coach (John) Calipari is a great coach, so it was great to get that offer.”
Duke. “Everything about them is great. Tyus has been in my ear about Duke here and there, so it is great to hear from them and have that option.”
Ohio State. “I know everything about them. I lived there for the first 12 years of my life, my family is from there, and I was born and raised there. It is a great program that has a lot going for them.”
Those schools and many others have offered. Gary will pretty much have the option to play at whatever school he feels like going to. So what is he looking for in a school?
“Just a style of play,” Trent Jr said. “What it's about. When I go there and start building better relationships with people. When I start building bonds with coaches and players, that will determine the outcome,”
“I really think I could play in any scheme and any set a team plays. I'll look at that and it will be a little piece that's in the back of my mind.”
Gary recently played in the Adidas Nations event and finished as the fifth leading scorer with 20 points per game.
April 27th Update
In eight weeks time Gary Trent Jr. has won a state title, he’s been invited to the upcoming USA Basketball tryouts, he just picked up a fifth high major offer (this one from his birthplace), and he’s scoring 20.6 points per game in the EYBL.
After two sessions of play there is no 2017 talent scoring more than Gary Trent Jr. He’s put up 20.6 points per game and 165 points in eight games which is good for 5th in the league (12 points behind the leader).
Howard Pulley is 3-5 but they have games against the three teams under them in the Division D standings coming up in two weeks in Houston in addition to a contest with 5-3 Alabama Challenge.
“We played pretty good together but we are still trying to mesh together,” said Trent. “We are still trying to learn everybody’s tendencies, learning what each other can do and what we can’t do.
“There are things we need to do better but it’s a long season and we have a couple more sessions left. We got time to get it together.”
The 6-foot-5 Trent had a monster game against Team Texas Elite hitting for 36 points on 10 of 15 shooting including eight three-point makes in the two score Pulley loss. Ohio State was amongst many watching his weekend performances and they offered a scholarship last evening.
“Oh man, it just means everything,” Trent explained. “It just shows that if you work hard a dream can come true. That’s a big time offer and I got to keep working hard because that really motivates me to try and get as much going as I can.
“I was born in Columbus, Ohio and I lived there for the first twelve years of my life. Then I moved to Minnesota when I was in fifth or sixth grade,” Gary explained.
“I moved up here with my dad and I’ve lived up here every since. All of my family still lives in Ohio and all my family originated from Ohio. My family members are super excited.”
In addition to Ohio State, Trent Jr. has offers from Providence, Texas Tech, Minnesota, and Florida State. The Noles extended earlier in the month.
“I think Florida State is a great school, I’m not that familiar with their basketball program but as the summer goes on and as the year goes on hopefully I can take a visit there and get a better understanding of the University and what it’s about. From what I’m hearing it’s been a pretty good great school.”
Other programs watching him regularly including Wisconsin, Purdue, Arizona, Indiana, Xavier, and more.
“The most recent that is showing interest is Michigan State and Duke. That would be the most recent new interest that has been shown.”
Minnesota has been recruiting him hard since Richard Pitino arrived on campus.
“Oh man, the U is a great place with great recruits coming in. The program could really change around in the upcoming years. It’s a great offer from them and I’m very proud of it.
“I feel like I could fit into any style of play although the U, that’s a style of play, that’s my game.”
Trent has a busy three months ahead of him.
“This summer I will have the opportunity to go to the USA Basketball tryout, the NBA top 100 for sure too, and I will go to a couple more camps,” Gary said.
“I can’t wait to get out to Colorado Springs and see what USA Basketball is all about. It will be a chance to be around other great players and when I got that invitation I was very happy.”
Trent scored 21.5 points a game as a sophomore this winter hitting on 49 percent of his attempts, 82 percent of his foul shots, and 45.6 percent of his 169 three-point attempts.
Trent has scored 974 points in his varsity career thus far.
January 2015 update
Before the season I predicted a couple places that Gary Trent Jr could be the Metro Player of the Year. Maybe the State Player of the Year. How is that prediction holding up?
His team is 15-1 and Trent Jr is shooting 48 percent from the floor, 80 percent from the free throw line, and 41 percent at the three point arc. Gary is averaging 21.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. The numbers are there and the team success is there.
The one black mark is the loss to Champlin Park where JT Gibson put forth an amazing performance. Outside of that game everything has been big headlines for Trent and the Eagles. They have beaten Minnetonka, Waukee, DeLaSalle, Eastview, Maple Grove, Omaha Central, Lakeville North, and Shakopee. A very impressive resume.
“I'm just trying to be a leader on the offensive end, trying to guard the best player and lock him down, and set an example for everybody and be the heart and be the tone for what you do,” Trent said to Prep Hoops Network at the Timberwolves Shootout.
“You know that someone is always chasing you, and you are always chasing somebody. Each game, I need to bring my A-game.”
Trent has done just that. If you were to put a five man all state team together at this point in the season there is no way you could leave him off of it.
His talent is obvious. Rivals.com has as a four star recruit already and when they extend their rankings past 25, Gary will be in the area of 50-100. Schools have taken notice. Minnesota, Providence, and Texas Tech have offered. Others are interested.
“I've been in contact with Kansas a lot, Michigan State, I talked to (Tom) Izzo not too long ago, Ohio State, and Arizona,” said Trent.
This summer Trent said Ohio State was his dream offer and he still speaks highly of the school in the area he has close ties.
“(Ohio State) came to an open gym not too long ago. My dad talks to a good friend of his Jeff Boals here and there. They played together.”
Boals is an Ohio State assistant. Minnesota is also in close contact after offering in June at their camp.
“I went on a visit earlier this fall to a football game. I saw a basketball game and went into the locker room too. It was a good experience. I like what they have going on. I talked to Coach (Pitino) and he's a cool guy.”