Lang finding his own road

Trey Lang is ready for the spotlight to be on him for once. He will never say it but people are finally starting to take notice.

The 6-foot-7 forward played alongside three Division I signees last year at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga. On the AAU trail, he plays alongside four members of the Rivals150. At home, he hears the stories of the NBA from his father, a veteran of the league.

Lang, a three-star forward from the class of 2007, played an important role at Wheeler as a junior as he served as a rebounder amongst scorers J.T. Tiller (Missouri), James Florence (Mercer) and BeJay Corley (Mercer).

On the AAU circuit, Lang mans the block with high school teammate J.J. Hickson (a five-star big man in 2007) and Trevor Mbakwe (a four-star forward). Guards Chris Allen (Michigan State) and Casey Mitchell (a Rivals150 member) anchor the backcourt.

Lang's father, Andrew, enjoyed a long career in the NBA after his college days at Arkansas. The younger Lang said he taps into his father's knowledge as much as he can.

"It's a great advantage. I mean, how many kids can say they have a dad that played 12 years in the pros?" Lang said. "He's got some stories up his sleeve. He'll tell me them every chance he gets."

Lang has remained humble and hungry playing alongside all of the players that he tangles with. Working with Hickson, Lang says, has made him become a better player in the one year he has spent at Wheeler.

"No doubt it helps," Lang said. "I get to go against a top 20 player in the nation everyday. He just makes me better everyday."

Lang's improvement shined through in the spring. His mid-range game is solid, his toughness has improved his rebounding and athletically, Lang is certainly above the average.

"I think I did pretty good," Lang said of his spring showing. "I've improved my overall game and most of all my shot. Most of the schools that are recruiting me are recruiting me as a small forward so I wanted to work on that. I feel more comfortable at the four because that is what I've always played. So now I'm working on my ball-handling and shooting so I can step right in and play."

He is beginning to have a number of options where he can step right in and play. Lang said he picked up an offer from Bradley last week and held an offer from South Carolina prior to the spring evaluation period. Tennessee, Arizona State, Wake Forest, Memphis and Arkansas, his father's alma mater, are all becoming major players for his signature, Lang said.

"I like Tennessee a lot. They were recruiting me before April but really turned it on lately," Lang said. "I like Wake Forest and Arizona State, too. The coaches at Arizona State recruited me before they got that job when they were at NC State. I like them a lot."

Lang said he has unofficially visited Wake Forest and Auburn in the past.

Focusing on the summer is his next step, Lang says, and a decision isn't right around the corner. Carving out his niche on the hardwood is though.