Gary Trent Jr. Bio
Gary Dajaun Trent Jr., born on January 18, 1999, in Columbus, Ohio, is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6-foot-5 shooting guard known for his perimeter shooting, Trent Jr. has built a steady career since entering the league in 2018. He attended Duke University for one season before declaring for the 2018 NBA draft, where he was selected in the second round by the Sacramento Kings and immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He is also a United States international basketball representative, having starred in youth tournaments.
Early Life and Background
Gary Trent Jr. was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Roxanne Holt and Gary Trent Sr., a former professional basketball player who spent nine seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, and also played professionally in Greece and Italy. Gary Sr. played collegiately at Ohio University and was part of the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival North Team that captured gold. Growing up in a basketball household, Gary Jr. developed his game alongside three brothers named Garyson, Grayson, and Graydon.
Trent Jr. began his high school career at Apple Valley High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota. As a sophomore, he averaged 21.5 points per game, and as a junior, he posted 26.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, earning Gatorade Minnesota Player of the Year honors and first-team MaxPreps junior All-American recognition. On the Nike EYBL Circuit, he averaged 22.2 points per game for his AAU squad, the Howard Pulley Panthers. Before his senior year, he transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, where he averaged 31.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, leading his team to a 29–3 record. He was selected to both the 2017 Jordan Brand Classic and the 2017 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game.
Path to Basketball
Ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 8 overall player in the 2017 high school class, Trent Jr. was widely viewed as the top shooting guard in his class by Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN. He signed his letter of intent to attend Duke University on November 10, 2016, joining a consensus top-rated recruiting class that featured four other five-star players. Despite battling illness at times during his only college season, he delivered several marquee performances, including a career-high 30 points in a comeback win over Miami, a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double against Notre Dame, and a 25-point outing versus Boston College in which he tied the Duke freshman record with six made three-pointers. He earned ACC Co-Player and Rookie of the Week on January 22, 2018. After Duke’s Elite Eight loss to Kansas in the 2018 NCAA tournament, all five starters, including Trent, declared for the 2018 NBA draft.
Gary Trent Jr. Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Trent Jr. was selected with the 37th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2018 NBA draft and was promptly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He signed a three-year deal with Portland on July 6, 2018. During his rookie season, he appeared in 15 NBA games, averaging 2.7 points per game, while also spending developmental time with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League.
Portland Trail Blazers Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Trent Jr.’s role expanded significantly in his second and third seasons. In 2019–20, he averaged 22 minutes and 8.9 points per game, and in 2020–21, he raised his production to 31 minutes and 15 points per game, establishing himself as a reliable scoring option off the bench for Portland. His growth in Portland set the stage for a midseason trade that reshaped his career trajectory.
Toronto Raptors Era (2021–2024)
On March 25, 2021, the Toronto Raptors acquired Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood in exchange for Norman Powell. He quickly delivered, scoring a then career-high 31 points on March 31, 2021, against the Oklahoma City Thunder, then exploding for 44 points on 17-of-19 shooting on April 10, 2021, in a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. On August 2, 2021, he signed a three-year, $54 million extension with Toronto. During the 2021–22 season, he posted one of the most prolific scoring stretches in Raptors history, recording five straight 30-point games, tying a franchise mark shared with DeMar DeRozan, and joining Kyle Lowry as the only Raptor to hit five or more three-pointers in four consecutive games. On February 10, 2022, he scored a season-high 42 points with five steals in a win over the Houston Rockets. On December 18, 2023, he recorded his first career double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets. He exercised his $18.56 million player option on June 20, 2023, to remain with Toronto for 2023–24.
Milwaukee Bucks Era (2024–Present)
On July 20, 2024, Trent Jr. signed a one-year minimum deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. He provided timely scoring for the Bucks throughout 2024–25, notching a then season-high 23 points on February 9, 2025, against the Philadelphia 76ers, and a season-high 29 points on April 10, 2025, in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. In the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, he erupted for 37 points, including nine three-pointers, in Game 3, tying a Bucks franchise playoff record, and added 33 points in a narrow Game 5 overtime loss. On July 8, 2025, he re-signed with Milwaukee on a two-year, $7.5 million contract with a player option for the second year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Trent Jr.’s signature moments include his 44-point outburst against the Cavaliers in 2021, his franchise-tying five-game 30-point streak with the Raptors in 2022, and his record-tying nine three-pointers in a Bucks playoff game in 2025. He also became a 2024 NBA Cup champion, a 2017 McDonald’s All-American, and the MVP of the 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship.
Gary Trent Jr. Career Wins
Trent Jr.’s career is defined more by individual scoring achievements and team championships than by single-game series wins. His most celebrated team title is the 2024 NBA Cup, won with the Milwaukee Bucks.
NBA Highlights
Trent Jr.’s first major professional season as a featured contributor came in 2020–21 with Portland, where he averaged 15 points per game. His first career-high scoring night in a Raptors uniform came on March 31, 2021, with 31 points against the Thunder, and his most memorable individual performance remains the 44-point game on April 10, 2021, against Cleveland. In the playoffs, his 37-point, nine-three-pointer effort tied a Bucks franchise playoff record.
Other Wins & Performances
At the international level, Trent Jr. led Team USA to gold-medal performances at the 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship in Argentina, where he was named MVP, and represented the United States at the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Spain.
Gary Trent Jr. Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Trent Jr. comes from a basketball family headed by his father, Gary Trent Sr., a longtime NBA veteran who played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, and also played collegiately at Ohio University. His mother is Roxanne Holt, and he has three brothers, Garyson, Grayson, and Graydon.
Personal Life
Trent Jr. grew up in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to Apple Valley, Minnesota, for high school, and later to Napa, California, where he finished his prep career at Prolific Prep. He continues to live in the United States during the NBA offseason.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a pivotal stretch in Trent Jr.’s career. He opened the year on his one-year minimum deal with the Bucks and gradually grew into a rotation role, building toward a strong finish to the regular season. His scoring trended upward in April 2025, with a season-high 29-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 10. In the first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, he averaged strong scoring totals across the five games, highlighted by his 37-point outburst in Game 3 and 33 points in the Game 5 overtime loss. The Bucks were eliminated in five games despite his offensive output.
Following the season, Trent Jr. secured his longer-term future in Milwaukee by signing a two-year, $7.5 million contract on July 8, 2025, with a player option for the second season. The deal reflected both his postseason performance and his fit alongside the Bucks’ veteran core. With stability on his contract and a clear offensive role, he enters 2025–26 looking to build on his late-season momentum and contribute as a perimeter scoring threat for Milwaukee.