5-star Basketball Prospect Cites Thunder Guard as Inspiration for Big Decision

Trentyn Flowers, a 5-star wing prospect out of Combine Academy in Charlotte, has decided to decommit from Louisville and take his talents to the NBL.

According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Flowers is the No. 23 overall prospect and the No. 4 small forward in the nation. Originally, the former Louisville commit chose the Cardinals over Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Memphis and many others.

Flowers said that players like LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey both helped inspire him to play in the NBL rather than the NCAA. While he is currently listed as a wing, Flowers mentioned that he wants to play point guard at the next level.

“This was the toughest decision I’ve ever made,” Flowers said of his decommitment. “Louisville was my dream college. But I feel like signing in the NBL gives me the best chance to lock in and develop my game. I’m going over there to play point guard, to learn how to run a team, and be a player like LaMelo Ball or Josh Giddey.”

In addition to their similarities in play style, Flowers also has a similar build to Giddey. The 18-year-old is listed at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds, which is virtually the same size as the Thunder point guard.

Ball and Giddey are both versatile playmakers and phenomenal passers that can control the flow of the game. If Flowers is able to develop some of these skills, it would not be surprising to see him blossom into a similar player to that of Ball or Giddey due to his physical skill set, size and the experience he will get playing against older professionals.

Last year in Oklahoma City, Giddey averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field. With the early-career success that Giddey and Ball have seen, it is no surprise that young players will start looking up to these two and begin to follow similar paths.

If Giddey continues to improve this season and the Thunder are once again competitive, there will likely be even more young players who follow in the footsteps of the 20-year-old Australian point guard.

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