The Louisville Cardinals secured a top-six recruiting class for 2023 including the likes of big man Dennis Evans, 4-star wings Kaleb Glenn and Curtis Williams, Jr., lead guard Ty-Laur Johnson, and top-25 prospect Trentyn Flowers. Flowers, originally a member of the 2024 class, is a 6’8” guard/wing who offers a versatile skill set and has long-term upside in part due to his elite athleticism and physical tools. As a junior, he averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game at Combine Academy (NC), leading the Goats to a 37-5 record and the Phenom HoopState Championship title. Recently, he participated in a competitive USA Basketball U19 Training Camp and was named a finalist, just narrowly missing out on making the roster for the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup. This fall, the incoming freshman heads to Louisville with the opportunity to play a prominent role for the budding program and potentially become an early-entry candidate for the NBA draft.
In this interview with Pro Insight’s Conrad Chow, Flowers talked about his background and togetherness as a family, Coach Payne’s reaction when he committed to Louisville, his interest in fashion, dream NIL deal, and much more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present Louisville guard Trentyn Flowers, from Jefferson, Georgia:
Pro Insight: What was your impression of the USAB U19 training camp?
Trentyn Flowers: Man, the training camp was amazing. There's just so many high-level players here, high-level coaches. Even our medical staff is super high-level, too. So you know, just being around all these people and being able to collect and retain all this information, it's just been a blessing. I haven't had a better experience growing somewhere else than USA Basketball. So I'm super glad I was able to have this experience.
PI: Anyone at camp in particular that you enjoyed playing with?
TF: Most definitely, I enjoyed playing with Kylan Boswell. That was one of them. Airious Bailey, he unfortunately got sick. Ernest Udeh is really good, too, so it's been good.
PI: How did you get to where you are today? Talk a bit about your background and family.
TF: Man, so my background and my family, my mom and dad are both present. They've been married for 23 years now, a long time. I have a little brother and little sister that go everywhere with me. So you know, we're a very tight knit family. You always see us with each other and like when you see one of us, you're gonna see everybody. So you know I really enjoy my family and from the basketball perspective, my dad played overseas at a high level and he’s also been my trainer my entire life so the reason I am where I am right now is because of him — so that’s a little bit about my family.
PI: Besides your dad, any other athletes in the family?
TF: So my little sister, she runs track. So my family moved down since I go to Louisville. My family moved down to Louisville with me. So my sister, she's getting ready to go to a really good track school in Louisville and hopefully break some records this year for her senior year…and then my little brother, he plays basketball. So you will for sure be saying his name a lot earlier than mine in these upcoming years.
PI: What have you been teaching your brother on and off the court?
TF: He’s a little hard-headed so he doesn't like to listen (laughs). You know, it's easier for me to teach him by just going out there and showing him. You know, he's always watching me play and he just picks up things from my game. Growing up, I would always turn on the TV or go and watch my favorite players, whether that was modeling my game after dudes like Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram, LeBron James — like just those types of guys to watch. So for me, it's just letting him watch me so he can implement and take things out of my game and then also other players' games that he likes.
PI: For those who aren’t familiar with your game, what are your greatest strengths and playstyle?
TF: My playstyle is versatile, like really versatile. You know, some people say they are versatile and can only do two or three things. You know, there's nothing on the basketball floor that I feel like I can't do. I can catch-and-shoot. I can shoot off-the-dribble. I’m gonna get to my mid-range. I'm starting to put on size so when I get to the rim, I'm starting to become really explosive and I'm starting to finish above the rim super well, right now. I also see the game very well. You know, I feel that for being my size, I kind of have a Magic Johnson-type trait, which a lot of people don't know, but I can pass the ball really well. That's really my bread and butter so as good of a scorer that I am, I also have a great feel for the game. And then defensively, I can guard the one-through-five. I feel like I can guard any guard in the country and then when it comes to bigs, I'm gonna switch, you know, I can front ‘em. My athleticism and my length and size allow me to be able to meet them at the rim or to contest them at the last second or be able to get a deflection — so I feel like I'm versatile not only on the offensive side of the ball, but also the defensive side of the ball. But you know, for me it's just staying in the gym and working hard and just continuing to maximize my potential as much as possible.
PI: You chose to commit and reclassify to Louisville earlier this year — what was Coach Payne’s reaction when you told him?
TF: Man, it's crazy. He actually told me first (laughs). He found out first. Him and Coach Nolan, they called my parents and let them know. Man, for KP, he's been at the highest level. He understands this. He knows how to get this done. He knows how much it means to the program in Louisville. I'm just super blessed to be in this situation. And you know, I couldn't have asked for a better coaching staff. Coach Nolan came out a lot and watched me play, so I’m super blessed.
PI: What factors played into reclassifying?
TF: Reclassifying, that was a big props to my coach. My head coach told me, he was like, “you don't know what you're gonna do.” I kind of was talking to the G League Ignite a little bit and other places. And you know, [Louisville] wanted me to reclassify early. So my coach was just like, “you know what, just go ahead and do it just in case, but if not, we will come back for your senior year.” I'll finish off my year with a state championship and other things. So he basically forecasted everything before it happened. So man, it's crazy, coach. Just seeing really where Louisville was turning as a program, you know. They didn’t really have the best season last year and me being the type of player I am, I don't feel that I'm a regular freshman stepping into college basketball. Since I’ve reclassified, you know, I've come in day one feeling like I'm a vet so it’s just my dog mentality that I have, my leadership and just the awareness I have for all my teammates and not only on the court, but off the court, too. So I'm really taking pride in this and reclassifying was just the best decision for me.
PI: What are your biggest interests outside of basketball?
TF: Biggest interests…I play the guitar.
PI: Who are your favorite music artists?
TF: There’s two: Taylor Swift and Jack Harlow.
PI: You have one hashtag to describe yourself. What is it?
TF: #Fabulous.
PI: If you weren’t pursuing a career as a professional hooper, what do you think you would choose to do?
TF: Ohh, I think I would play golf.
PI: Who’s someone you really look up to?
TF: Somebody I really look up to is my dad.
PI: What’s your biggest pet peeve?
TF: I don’t really have one. I just be chilling.
PI: Are you an introvert or extrovert?
TF: Extrovert, for sure.
PI: What is your dream NIL deal and why?
TF: Probably with a major clothing brand, whether it was Denim Tears, Supreme, Bape, even designer fashion like Louis Vuitton, something like that. I’m really into fashion so that would be my dream NIL.
PI: Name four words that best describe you.
TF: Caring, passionate, hardworking, and loving.
PI: Besides the NBA, where do you see yourself in five years?
TF: I for sure see myself coming up with my own clothing brand. You know, maybe sharpening my skills in music a little bit more because I enjoy things off the court and then just being known as a great person and giving back to people, you know. That's what I love to do. And you know, I'm the type of guy that if anybody needs something, I give the shirt off my back so that's what I just want to be known for and that's a big thing for me.