New Orleans — Louisiana isn’t known for producing elite basketball prospects at the same rate as it does on the gridiron, but every so often one does emerge. Isidore Newman combo guard Chris Lockett Jr. appears to be the latest ‘generational’ player to come out of the state.
He was recently rated as the number 13 prospect nationally in the 2023 class by ESPN. “It feels good. I was one of the guys that looked up to guys before me like DeJon "Deeky" Jarreau and Lamar Peters. Everyone has been texting me and telling me to keep going, to put the city on my back. I know how much I can impact the future of basketball in New Orleans. I’ve reached out to some (major basketball) platforms to come down here to see the hidden talent we have.
I want that target on my back and I want to prove why I deserve to be the number 1 player in my class and win the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.”
On what what was his biggest adjustment to playing on the high school level, Lockett says the most important attribute he’s learned was trust. “We really had to trust each other. There were times I was tripping and my teammates picked me up.”
If there is anyone who can help Lockett navigate all of the expectations, it’s his head coach Randy Livingston, who himself was a 2 time Gatorade co-National Player of the Year while attending Newman in the early 90s.
“At first it was kind of weird, but then I started to understand where coach Randy was coming from. He’s helped me a lot from the classroom to the gym. If he sees any weaknesses in my game, he points it out & helps me improve on it while also making what I’m good at even better.”
In his freshman season, Lockett averaged 15.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.4 app, and 1.8 steals per contest.
As a result of his play and rankings, several high profile universities have already extended offers, like in-state LSU. Other schools that have offered scholarships are Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Wichita State, Memphis, Houston, Vanderbilt and Grambling State. “Honestly, the offers keep me motivated. I just want to stay hungry and never settle. As long as I handle the stuff in the classroom, everything will take care itsself. I’m not really giving too much thought about colleges at this point.”
For now, his main focus is on helping Newman win state championships. Check back with PelicanPreps for more updates on Chris Lockett and other Louisiana talent.
