Lockett headed to the desert

2009 four-star prospect Trent Lockett didn't want to drag his recruiting process out, and he won't have to. Lockett, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound shooting guard from Minnetonka (Minn.) Hopkins High School, found the perfect fit in the desert on a recent visit.

Arizona State has its first commitment from the 2009 class.

"Trent always said when it felt right, that's where he would want to go to school," said Lockett's travel team coach Marquise Watts of Net Gain Sports. "He found that fit in Arizona State. His mother and he said Arizona State didn't leave one stone unturned when they went down there on his visit. They answered every question and concern that they had with basketball and academics."

Watts also noted the strong sense of unity amongst the coaching staff and athletic program as a whole at Arizona State as a strong selling point for Lockett.

"The big sell was the coaching staff, and I don't just mean Herb," said Watts. "The whole staff is impressive, and they are all on the same page. He got the sense that from the president of the school to the AD to the staff, everyone had the same vision.

"He was also impressed with the practice, and he and James Harden really hit it off. Trent admires Harden's game, and feels like he can be successful in Arizona State's system as a big guard."

Lockett, the No. 98 ranked prospect in the class of 2009, also considered Iowa State, Wisconsin, Marquette and Colorado State.