If you want to win an NCAA title then you usually need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 1 championship team since 1979 had not featured such a player (Maryland in 2002) until Baylor broke the streak last month. The McDonald’s All-American Game has not taken place during the past 2 years due to COVID, sadly. However, the rosters were announced on February 23rd after selecting the 24 best players in the nation from a list of several hundred nominees. If you do not think that these guys can make an immediate impact then just ask Coach Mark Few how he liked having 2020 honoree Jalen Suggs at Gonzaga! Duke seems to be 1 of the big winners as Coach Mike Krzyzewski will have a trio of 2021 honorees (Paolo Banchero/AJ Griffin/Trevor Keels) join him in Durham this fall. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Trevor about being named a McDonald’s All-American and his NBA playoff prediction.
You attend high school at Paul VI in Virginia, which has produced several top recruits in recent years including Anthony Harris (UNC)/Brandon Slater (Villanova)/Jeremy Roach (Duke): how is your school able to keep getting such top-notch talent every single year? They do a great job of recruiting middle school players and are a great school both on and off the court.
Last year you made the WCAC championship game where you lost to #1-seed DeMatha: how close did you come to pulling off the upset? We came pretty close and it was a great game. We fought but they hit some tough shots with their seniors stepping up in big moments.
You went on to win the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association title: what did it mean to you to win a championship? It meant a lot. After losing to DeMatha a lot of teams would have put their heads down and stopped playing but we came together and realized that our season was not over. We watched some film of our loss and did a great job of sacrificing so that we could be happy at the end of the year.
You were a team captain this year: what is the key to being a good leader? You have to be vocal: if you do not say anything or try to just be nice all of the time then it will not work. You always have to tell the truth to your teammates even if it is during a losing streak. It is also important to change bad habits.
What has been the hardest part of being a basketball player during a pandemic? It was hard for certain people who did not get recruited because colleges could not come see them play in person. It was frustrating for me because I wanted a senior season in front of packed crowds but we only ended up playing 11 games: you just have to adapt.
In February you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot to see my name announced on ESPN. I have dreamed about that since I was a little kid and am grateful that all of my hard work paid off.
You are 6’5”: what position did you play in high school, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I played SG in high school but in college I will play wherever they want me to and will give it my best.
You received offers from several great schools including Kentucky/Villanova/Virginia but signed with Duke last month: what was the biggest factor in your decision to play for Coach Mike Krzyzewski? The biggest factor was who I trusted the most. All of my top-4 schools were great and have Hall of Fame coaches but I had the best relationship with Duke. It has been my dream school all of my life: the brightest lights and the biggest stage.
You became a triple-double machine this year: how do you balance all of the different aspects of your game? I do not chase points: I am a team player and will do whatever it takes to win. If I have to pass/rebound instead of focusing on my scoring then that is what I will do.
Your favorite player is Kevin Durant: do you think he will win a title with the Nets this year? Brooklyn is definitely winning the title and KD will be Finals MVP: he is too good!