Gary Trent Jr. was the most dominant player on the prestigious Nike EYBL this summer, leading the league averaging 22.1 points a game. That kind of production has a who’s who of college basketball heavyweights like Duke, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan State, and many others, all giving intense chase. Trent, a rising junior shooting guard at Apple Valley (Apple Valley, Minn.), has agreed to give USA TODAY HSS exclusive access into his world by chronicling everything from intimate details about his recruitment to his everyday life in a monthly blog.
Hey, what’s up world! This is Gary Trent Jr. back at it with another blog; I haven’t done one in about a month or so, but I’m ready to update you on everything!
I closed my summer out in a big way last weekend in the Bahamas at the Nike event! Nike only invited 12 players so to be picked as one of those guys was an honor for me. I felt very fortunate. I played with Harry Giles, Michael Porter, Jayson Tatum, Wendell Carter and guys like that so the comp was crazy!
Man one of my many things I enjoyed on the trip was to be able to get worked out by former NBA player that made an impact on the game! I had the opportunity to be worked out and coached by Gary Payton!
It was a great trip all around!
One of the last events I played in this summer was adidas Nations in California and that was a lot of fun too! I got the chance to play on TV so that was a great experience. After that I was literally only home for a day before I had to fly out to New York to play in the Big Strick Classic. We played in front of a great crowd and against other great players.
I don’t start school until September 8 so I’ve got a little time to just wind down from a long summer and rest my body. I think I’m gonna rest for a week or two then get back at it preparing for a big season this year.
I think my high school team will be strong again this year; I think we’ll have the same success when we won states last year. We have all five starters coming back and I definitely know we have what it takes to get it done. I’m definitely excited about that.
RELATED: Gary Trent Jr. wins Top Bucket-Getter in the Players Choice Awards
As far as my recruitment, everything is going great!
Since my last blog I’ve picked up offers from Kentucky and Arizona.
I got the Kentucky offer at Nike Global; just talking to Coach Cal on the phone, then I got the Arizona offer right before adidas Nations. I was excited to get both offers.
I mean it’s Kentucky and everyone knows about the success Coach Cal has had with sending players to the NBA and getting them prepared for that next level. Same with Arizona; they always have a lot of success and it’s a great program.
I just soak it all up when I get new offers; it really, really drives me to get better. To me, when I get an offer it’s telling me that the coach believes in me and that’s big for me.
When I was out in California I took a visit to UCLA and I loved it. The coaches were cool, the campus was great and I just really had a fun time all around.
Y’all know I told you about my package deal with my boy Wendell (Carter) and it’s definitely still on. We speak all the time and it’s definitely something that we’re serious about. Our parents haven’t actually talked amongst each other about it, but they get along really well. It’s always good vibes. Some of the coaches already know that we want to play together and they’re all for it.
I’m planning to take a couple more visits, but I’ve gotta sit down with my dad and decide where I’m gonna go.
I talk to at least some of the coaches every day. It’s been cool getting to know them. Even if it’s just a coach texting me saying, “What’s up big time!” That always has me laughing.
A part of me is ready to get into the swing of things with school and just start strong in every way for my junior year.
Oh, I definitely want to tell you all to check out the movie Straight Outta Compton. I loved it, it was a great movie. I knew a lot about the story from my dad showing me their music and what they were about at a young age. It was like seeing the story all over again and it was definitely worth it.
As far as music, you can’t listen to anything but Drake.
He’s killin’ the game right now!
OK, y’all once again it’s your boy Gary Trent Jr. and that’s another blog in the books.
I’ll be back with a lot more next time.
Until then!
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