Trent Lockett Primed For Hot Season At Arizona State

Former Hopkins forward Trent Lockett led Arizona State in scoring as a sophomore and is hoping to get the Sun Devils back into the NCAA Tournament this upcoming season for the first time since 2009. Hopkins Patch recently caught up with Lockett in Las Vegas to talk about playing basketball in the Pac-10 and memories of his career at Hopkins.

Lockett averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 rebound and 2.5 assists per game as he helped lead the Sun Devils to a 4-14 record in Pac-10 play and a 12-19 mark overall. He scored a season-high 24 points against Weber State

Lockett helped lead the Royals to a state title as a senior as they finished 31-0 and outscored their opposition by 24.9 points per game.

That team has been called by some observers as the most talented team in Minnesota state history. That squad featured Royce White (Iowa State), Ray Cowels (Santa Clara), Mike Broghammer (Notre Dame), (Northern Iowa), Moses Sundufu (St. Mary’s), (Minnesota), Marcus Williams (North Dakota State for football), D. J. Peterson (LaSalle) and returning senior point guard .

Hopkins Patch: You worked out at Impact Academy. Who else worked out with you?

Trent Lockett: I came with Cole Stefan (a former Minnetonka guard who played at LaSalle as a freshman), my old AAU teammate. There was a lot of good pros and college players working out. It was good to get some competition and play against those type of guys. John Wall, J.J. Hickson, Charlie Bell, Marreese Speights of the 76ers, Craig Brackins of the 76ers.  There are a lot of good guys as well as the D1 players from across the country like Duke and Xavier. Just good competition.

Hopkins Patch: Was it tough not to be a bit awestruck?

Lockett: In the years past, I might have had a hard time, but this year, I am really fitting in. My game is definitely elevated. It is good to compete and go against those guys head to head. 

Hopkins Patch: You got to watch your former AAU team, Net Gain, play out in Las Vegas at the Fab 48. Did you get to give them any advice while you were sitting on the bench?

Lockett: It is different being in this position. I haven’t been to an AAU tournament since I played. You look at these kids and see what they are going through and give them a few pointers here and there.

Hopkins Patch: What do you remember from that experience three years ago?

Lockett: It is just a grind. It is hot outside. You don’t get a whole lot to eat. You have games every day. At the same time, you are young and you are having fun. You are going out to play. They’re enjoying themselves.  

Hopkins Patch: You had a good year at Arizona State on a young team. What are the expectations for the upcoming season? 

Lockett: We had a tough year last year, but we are definitely working hard. I am leading the team now, which is good. We are working hard in the offseason, definitely trying to change things around for next season.

Hopkins Patch: You have some high talented guards coming in with freshman Jahi Carson and junior college transfer Chris Colvin, right?

Lockett: I think that we have enough talent and enough power to go and compete for the Pac-10 title. That is everyone’s goal coming in every year. We are just trying to put the work in ahead of time, so it pays off in the end.

Hopkins Patch: When you look back at your career at Hopkins, especially your senior season when you went undefeated and won the state title with multiple standouts, what stands out as the top memories?

Lockett: I guess I would just say going undefeated. Not letting an off night affect you. Not losing a single game the whole year is quite a feat. 

Hopkins Patch: Hopkins won a third straight title and is going for the four-peat this upcoming year. Do you get to follow them at all?

Lockett: To tell you the truth, it is kind of a grind during the season. You don’t get a lot of free time, but I try to check on them every now and then. It sounds like they are doing well. 

Hopkins Patch: What type of things are you working on this summer to improve yourself as a player?

Lockett: Perimeter shooting and ballhandling are the main things. If you can do that, you can compete at any level. 

Hopkins Patch: You are working hard to improve for your upcoming year, but I am sure that you would love to play professionally. Is that something you think about?

Lockett: Most definitely. Every day.