Trent Lockett, the former Hopkins high school basketball standout, asked for a release from his scholarship so he can transfer closer to home, according to the Arizona Republic.
The junior starred for Hopkins high school and is from Golden Valley, Minn.
He recently discovered that his mother has cancer, according to the report, and told ASU’s coach Herb Sendek he plans to play closer to home.
Lockett will graduate in the summer, according to the report, but has a year of eligibility left and depending on the circumstances of a move, could play immediately.
He was the Sun Devils’ leading scorer this year at 13 points per game. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
It is still possible he could return to ASU for another year, but unlikely. It isn’t immediately clear he would chose to transfer to the University of Minnesota, but it could be a good fit, given the location and level of competition relative to the Sun Devils.
Minnesota does not currently have an available scholarship for next season.
A few interesting notes from his ASU player profile: He said his favorite place to visit is home, and listed his mother as his childhood idol.