Duke must really want that Wendell Carter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. package deal to materialize.
One day after offering a scholarship to the 6-foot-5 Trent Jr., who was named MVP of the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Argentina, the Blue Devils offered the 6-10 Carter Jr., a source confirmed to SNY.tv. Both players are members of the Class of 2017.
Both players told SNY.tv before winning gold for the USA U16 team at the FIBA Americas Championship that they had discussed a potential package deal, with Duke the leading candidate for the duo.
“Me and Gary, we kind of decided to go to school together,” Carter Jr. told SNY.tv by phone. “I don’t know if it’s going to be official but we’re going to try to. We’re going to try to put Jarred [Vanderbilt] in the [mix] too.”
Asked if they had any schools in mind, Carter Jr., said: “Me and Gary’s top right now would probably be Duke, but we’re both open to all. I don’t want to speak for him, I’m open for all colleges….It’s whatever fits me.”
Trent Jr. went for 19 points and 6 rebounds Sunday as the U.S. beat Canada, 77-60, in the U16 gold medal game.
“Gary is a real focused player,” U16 coach Don Showalter said. “He really focuses in on what to do, not only what to do, but how the other team is playing him. He adjusts his game according to how the other team is playing him. So, he missed a couple big 3s in the first half and missed some in the third quarter, but I told him to keep shooting it. He’s a great shooter and they’re going to fall for him.”
Said Trent Jr.: “It really just came with winning the gold medal. It was just all about buying in, my teammates finding me in the right spots and coach’s plays. So, it was all up to the entire program and everybody bought into it. It’s all about the team.”
