Trevor Lacey, a two-time Alabama Mr. Basketball award-winner who led Huntsville’s Butler High to three consecutive state championships, today begins his two-day recruiting trip to Kansas University.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior combo guard, who has a recruiting list of KU, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, North Carolina State and UConn, averaged 31.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.6 assists per game last season for 32-2 Butler.
He scored 40 or more points in 10 games.
“I think he is the best player to come out of Alabama in 25 years, maybe since (former Philadelphia 76er) Andrew Toney,” said Lacey’s former AAU coach, Mark Komara of Southeast Elite.
“There’ve been some good ones from Alabama — Gerald Wallace, Marvin Stone, Charles Barkley way before him, DeMarcus Cousins, (Eric) Bledsoe. Trevor put 30 on Bledsoe in the state tournament before he went to Kentucky,” Komara added of Los Angeles Clippers player Bledsoe.
Lacey, Rivals.com’s No. 24-rated player, is so skilled, “If he goes to Kansas, he will be the leading scorer on that team as a freshman,” Komara said. “I know what he does. He’ll average 18-20 a game.”
Lacey is a “natural leader,” Komara said.
“He has no fear. If there are three or four minutes to go, you give him the ball to win the game. You want him to have the ball down the stretch. He knows the game. I’ve coached six McDonald’s All-Americans. His basketball IQ is way above any of them,” Komara added.
Lacey is at his best in the open floor.
“Say Markieff (Morris) or Thomas Robinson grabbed a rebound and threw it to him … if Trevor gets it, somebody will have an easy layup or easy shot. There will be no mistakes on that break. The right person will get the ball on that break,” Komara said.
“He’s like a smaller version of Magic Johnson. He makes basketball look so simple. Kentucky … (coach John) Calipari thinks he’s the biggest secret in the class (of 2011).”
Alabama and Auburn are working as hard as possible to keep the standout in state.
“Trevor Lacey is a great kid. He is a real gentleman,” Komara said.
As far as this weekend, “I’m sure he’ll enjoy himself,” Komara said. “It comes no better than Kansas as far as basketball goes.”