Gary Trent Jr. Overview
Gary Dajaun Trent Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association. Born on January 18, 1999, in Columbus, Ohio, he has built a reputation as a dynamic perimeter scorer with elite shooting ability and defensive instincts. Trent Jr. has played for three NBA franchises since entering the league, and he helped the Milwaukee Bucks capture the 2024 NBA Cup championship.
The son of former NBA player Gary Trent Sr., he carries a basketball legacy into his own professional career. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 204 pounds, Trent Jr. plays the shooting guard position and wears number five. His combination of scoring bursts, three-point shooting, and defensive tenacity has made him a valued rotation player at every stop of his career.
Early Life and Development
Gary Trent Jr. is the son of Gary Trent Sr., an American former professional basketball player, and Roxanne Holt. His father enjoyed a distinguished career that included nine years in the National Basketball Association with the Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as professional stints in Greece and Italy. Gary Trent Sr. also won a gold medal with the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival North Team, which finished with a perfect four to zero record. Trent Jr. has three brothers named Garyson, Grayson, and Graydon.
Trent Jr. attended Apple Valley High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota, where he developed into one of the most productive scorers in the nation. As a sophomore, he averaged 21.5 points per game, and as a junior, he raised that average to 26.4 points per game along with 5.8 rebounds per game. That production earned him Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year honors, first team Minneapolis All Metro recognition, and a first team junior All American selection from Maxpreps. He also dominated on the AAU circuit, averaging 22.2 points per game for the Howard Pulley Panthers on the Nike EYBL Circuit.
Before his senior year, Trent Jr. transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, where he continued his ascent. As a senior, he averaged 31.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while leading his team to a 29 to three overall record. His performance attracted national attention, earning him selections to the 2017 Jordan Brand Classic and the 2017 McDonald’s All American Boys Game. Recruiting services rated him as a five star recruit and ranked him as the number eight overall player and number one shooting guard in the 2017 high school class.
College Career and Draft
Trent Jr. signed his letter of intent to attend Duke University on November 10, 2016. His entering class at Duke included seven highly rated recruits, four of whom held five star ratings, making the group the consensus top rated entering class in the country. Despite starting four freshmen, Duke entered the season as the preseason number one team and remained in the top ten throughout the campaign. Trent Jr. set the Duke freshman record with six three point shots made in a game against Boston College on December 9, 2017, and scored a career high 30 points in a comeback victory over Miami on January 15, 2018.
Duke entered the ACC tournament as the number two seed and advanced past Notre Dame in the first round before falling to North Carolina in the semifinals. In the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Blue Devils reached the Elite Eight as a number two seed before losing to Kansas in overtime. After the tournament, Trent Jr. announced he would pursue a professional career, joining four other Duke starters in leaving early.
Gary Trent Jr. Career Journey
Gary Trent Jr.’s professional journey began when the Sacramento Kings selected him with the 37th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft before trading his rights to the Portland Trail Blazers. He spent three seasons in Portland developing from a raw rookie into a reliable rotation scorer, then emerged as a key player during three productive seasons with the Toronto Raptors. In July 2024, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately contributed to a championship caliber team, helping capture the 2024 NBA Cup.
Portland Trail Blazers Era (2018–2021)
The Sacramento Kings drafted Gary Trent Jr. with the 37th overall selection in the 2018 NBA draft and immediately traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. He signed a three year deal with the Trail Blazers on July 6, 2018, and began his professional career learning the NBA game as a reserve guard. During his rookie season, Trent Jr. appeared in 15 NBA games, averaging 2.7 points per game, and the organization frequently assigned him to the Texas Legends of the NBA G League to gain additional experience.
Production and opportunity grew substantially during his second and third seasons in Portland. Trent Jr. averaged 8.9 points per game across 22 minutes of action in the 2019 to 2020 season, then raised his average to 15 points per game across 31 minutes during his third season. By the time his tenure in Portland concluded, Trent Jr. had established himself as a legitimate NBA rotation player with the ability to score in bursts and contribute meaningfully off the bench.
Toronto Raptors Chapter (2021–2024)
On March 25, 2021, the Toronto Raptors acquired Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Norman Powell. Trent Jr. wasted no time making an impact, scoring a then career high 31 points in a March 31 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He recorded a plus minus of plus 54 in a 53 point blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on April 2, a mark that ranks among the highest in NBA history since the league began tracking the statistic in 1996. Three days later, he scored a career high 44 points on 17 of 19 shooting in a 135 to 115 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, announcing his arrival as a primary offensive option.
The Raptors rewarded Trent Jr. with a three year, 54 million dollar contract extension on August 2, 2021. Over the 2021 to 2022 season, he delivered one of the most remarkable individual stretches in franchise history. Beginning on January 25, 2022, Trent Jr. scored 32 points in a 125 to 113 win over the Charlotte Hornets, then matched that total with six made three pointers the following night against the Chicago Bulls. On January 29, he scored 33 points with five steals in a 124 to 120 triple overtime victory over the Miami Heat. He scored 31 points with nine three pointers in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on January 31, joining Kyle Lowry as the only Raptor to hit five or more three pointers in four straight games. The following night, Trent Jr. recorded his fifth consecutive 30 point game, scoring 33 points in a 110 to 106 win over the Heat and joining DeMar DeRozan as the only other Raptor to accomplish that feat.
Trent Jr. continued producing at a high level through the remainder of his Raptors tenure. He scored a season high 42 points with five steals and five three pointers in a 139 to 120 victory over the Houston Rockets on February 10, 2022, then matched that total with eight made three pointers in a 107 to 102 win over the Phoenix Suns on March 11. He exercised his 18.56 million dollar player option to return for the 2023 to 2024 season on June 20, 2023. He recorded his first career double double on December 18, 2023, with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 114 to 99 win over the Charlotte Hornets, and he scored a season high 30 points on March 7, 2024. On April 5, 2024, he scored 31 points to help the Raptors break a 15 game losing streak with a 117 to 111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Milwaukee Bucks and Present (2024–Present)
Gary Trent Jr. signed a one year minimum deal with the Milwaukee Bucks on July 20, 2024, joining a Bucks team with championship aspirations. On February 9, 2025, he scored a then season high 23 points in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. He raised that mark to a season high 29 points on April 10, 2025, in a 111 to 107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Trent Jr. delivered a memorable playoff performance on April 25, 2025, when he scored 37 points, including nine three pointers, in a 117 to 101 victory in Game three of the first round against the Indiana Pacers. His nine three pointers tied a Milwaukee Bucks franchise record for three pointers made in a playoff game.
The Bucks were ultimately eliminated in five games despite Trent Jr.’s 33 point performance in a 119 to 118 closeout overtime loss in Game five. On July 8, 2025, he re signed with the Bucks on a two year, 7.5 million dollar contract, with the second year being a player option. Trent Jr. continues to provide the Bucks with elite perimeter shooting, defensive intensity, and the ability to score in volume when the offense requires it.
Playing Style and Strengths
Gary Trent Jr. has established himself as an elite shooting guard whose offensive identity centers on his three point shooting ability and scoring bursts off the dribble. He excels at running off screens and spotting up for catch and shoot opportunities, and he can shoulder significant offensive responsibility when required. Defensively, he brings physicality and quick hands, regularly generating steals and pressuring opposing guards into difficult decisions. His combination of size, shooting, and defensive awareness makes him a valuable rotation piece on contending teams.
Key Milestones and Career Moments
Gary Trent Jr. scored a career high 44 points on 17 of 19 shooting in a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers while playing for the Toronto Raptors, one of the most efficient scoring performances in recent NBA history. He tied the Milwaukee Bucks franchise record for three pointers made in a playoff game with nine in a first round matchup against the Indiana Pacers in April 2025. He remains the youngest Raptor to record five consecutive 30 point games, and he captured the 2024 NBA Cup championship in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Gary Trent Jr. Achievements
Gary Trent Jr.’s basketball career includes an NBA Cup championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, international gold medal honors representing the United States, and numerous individual awards earned from the high school level through the professional ranks. His scoring ability has been recognized consistently at every stage of his development, from his MVP performance at the FIBA Americas Under sixteen Championship to his McDonald’s All American selection in high school.
NBA Career Highlights
Gary Trent Jr. won the 2024 NBA Cup championship in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks. He has reached career highs of 44 points in a regular season game and 37 points in a playoff game, with both performances coming on extraordinary shooting efficiency. His nine three pointers in a first round playoff game against the Indiana Pacers in April 2025 tied the Milwaukee Bucks franchise record for three pointers made in a single playoff game. He has established himself as one of the more dangerous perimeter scorers available off the bench or in a starting role.
International Career
Gary Trent Jr. represented the United States at the 2015 FIBA Americas Under sixteen Championship held in Argentina, where he was named the tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the United States national team to a gold medal. He continued his international development at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship held in Spain. Trent Jr.’s international experience at the youth level provided a foundation for his professional development and helped establish his reputation as a reliable scorer on a global stage.