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Ariza, however, is now again enrolled at UCLA and is considering taking a much heavier course load in the fall. He’s still deciding on a major, and if the NBA lockout ends, he plans to take online classes. “Being a regular student is kind of fun,” he said. Ariza said he is learning more now than as a freshman because he has a “different appreciation” for college. While he is also considering playing in Spain, China or Serbia if the lockout drags into the fall, he is currently focused on his coursework at UCLA. “I’m really going back for my two sons,” Ariza said. “Eventually they’re going to realize that their dad fulfilled his dreams doing what he wanted to do and still got his degree. For them to see that will be a great example for them to follow.” Yahoo! Sports

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza, Lockout 

Ariza thinks the lockout could spur players to take their education more seriously. “We have a whole lot of our lives to live after basketball,” Ariza said. “We have to understand what we want to do when [retirement] comes. A lot of us came out [of college] really young, and we have no idea what we want to do with our lives if basketball doesn’t work out.” Yahoo! Sports

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza, Lockout 

Alex Kennedy: Brandon Jennings scored 81 points in a Long Beach charity game. Trevor Ariza, Dorrell Wright, Jordan Hamilton and Pooh Jeter also played. Brandon Jennings' 81 points is even more impressive when you consider that each quarter was only 10 minutes long. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Trevor Ariza, Pooh Jeter, Jordan Hamilton 

Ariza has also been one of the fortunate Nike endorsers to receive player exclusive sneakers from the brand throughout the season. His Hyperdunk 2010 even made it to House of Hoops back in December. Here's a look at the Zoom Hyperfuse Low that Nike supplied him with for the playoffs. Sole Collector

New Orleans Hornets, Sneakers, Trevor Ariza 

During his first season as a Laker in 2008, Trevor Ariza spent some time guarding Kobe Bryant. Being on the second unit meant giving Bryant a quality look in practice. Ariza laughs when thinking back on the intensity of those days. “Every single time we went up against each other it was a battle, no matter what,” Ariza happily recalls. “Sometimes he got the best of me and sometimes I got the best of him. He wasn’t going to win every single one! I’m just not a player that takes losing very well.” In his second season with the Lakers, Ariza became a starter and with that role came a new vantage point. He examined Bryant. His study habits, approach to the game and on court tendencies. “I saw all of that,” Ariza says. “The spot he likes the most in the triangle is the pinch post area. He’s good on the wing and in pick and roll situations. Those are his most comfortable spots, even though you can say he is comfortable in all spots.” SLAM

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

His confidence grew with encouragement from his high school coaches and local NBA players. “My high school coaches all told me I was special and could really do something,” Ariza recalls. “Reggie Theus saw me working out in a gym and told me I had a lot of skill and talent. He said if I worked hard and focused I had a chance. Baron Davis told me that when I was really young. Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson, Keyon Dooling—all those guys used to come to our high school games and we developed a friendship way back then. They would even play with us sometimes.” SLAM

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

Similar to Chandler, Ariza was a humble gentleman off the court but a competitive savage on 94 feet of hardwood. Nobody had more support at Westchester games—you could literally hear his mother Lolita screaming his name after every touch. But the dude would never smile on the court. He always had that mean look of sadness that I could never figure out. “I’ve always been overlooked by everybody,” Ariza says. “Even when I was younger, they were all supposedly better than me. So I guess every time I step on the court I feel like I have to go prove it. I have to work for everything I get. I have that attitude that I have no friends on the court. It’s business when I step on the court.” SLAM

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

A year later, Ariza is with the Hornets and doing his best to make the Lakers second guess their decision. “Of course I did (want to re-sign with the Lakers),” Ariza said after the Hornets’ 93-88 win over the Lakers on Sunday night to even the best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series at two games apiece. “I would have been playing at home. But it’s something that didn’t happen. So I’m not going to complain about it. I’m still playing basketball. I’m still having a good time doing what I love to do, so I can’t complain.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

Ariza has spent most of the series defending Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who scored a game–high 30 points Friday. “He gets a lot of criticism for not giving us the offense,’’ Hornets Coach Monty Williams said. “But he guards a tough guy every night and I put a lot of pressure on him.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Kobe Bryant, Trevor Ariza 

Trevor Ariza on Fox Sports Radio with Petros and Money to discuss how disrespected the New Orleans Hornets were going into game one against the Los Angeles Lakers, if he had a feeling Chris Paul would have a huge game one effort, is it fair to only blame Derek Fisher for why Chris Paul played so well on Sunday, if the defensive game plan is to let Kobe Bryant get his and how are the Hornets looking to keep the momentum moving forward in game two. How disrespected did you guys feel going into game one after being swept by the Lakers in the regular season series? “I just think we really didn’t pay attention to what everyone was saying. We’ve been beating the odds all year, so it was nothing new to come out here and just play with everyone counting us out. You know I think everyone pretty much counted us out, so we just worried about each other and played for each other and tried to get a win.” Sports Radio Interviews

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

Is it fair to blame Derek Fisher for why Chris Paul played so well in game one or is it a team defensive effort that let the Lakers down? “I don’t think it’s fair to blame it all on [Derek] Fisher because it’s just not a one man sport you know. It’s a team sport. A team has to guard a player like that just like how a team has to guard a player like Kobe [Bryant]. You can’t but all the defensive pressure on me to stop Kobe because you know he’s an unbelievable talent on the offensive end. It’s a two-way sport you know you gotta figure it out a way to stop those talented players on the team.” Sports Radio Interviews

Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul, Derek Fisher, Trevor Ariza 

"What do we got to lose?" Hornets forward Trevor Ariza said. "We're just out here playing care-free. We're just playing basketball. Nobody expected us to do anything this season." ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

Steve Kyler: Hornet's Trevor Ariza says he's seen more fire and passion from Chris Paul since injury... He is not taking anything for granted. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, Injuries 

It appears Ariza could be sidelined indefinitely. After the game, he wore a protective boot and walked with crutches. “It’s very disappointing,’’ said Ariza, who will be examined by team doctors today. “I never had injury with my ankle before.’’ The injury occurred when Ariza went to the basket and came down on the back of Thunder forward Jeff Green’s foot. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza, Injuries 

You worried about the lockout at all? Trevor Ariza: No, not at all. I think I do a pretty good job saving my money, but I think that we should all stick together. And there are always other alternatives. I love to play basketball, so wherever we can play we should play. FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza, Lockout 

What about your contract, though? Some people will tell you that you'd be risking your contract if you played overseas. Trevor Ariza: How? If there's a lockout, there's no binding contract. If they're not going to pay us, then we've got to do something. The only risk would be if you get hurt, but then you take out insurance policies. FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza, Lockout 

Trevor Ariza: Everybody says that you're a big part of our team, we need you and this and that, when in actuality they want to win but they have to look out for themselves. I just thought, 'Man, I'm going to worry about myself and then everybody else second because I've heard the same thing so many times.' FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

You sound like you're a little bit burnt from the last couple situations with the Lakers and with Houston. Was that part of it? Trevor A: Of course you get burnt out on it, but I'm a team person, so it didn't take me long to realize that I can't just look out for myself. When I got to New Orleans, I had to play for the 14 guys who are on our team and our coaches as well. FanHouse.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trevor Ariza 

You're right that it was rare. Usually a team wins it all and they want to bring the whole group back. Trevor Ariza: Let's think about this here. The first thing you heard (on July 1) was that Ron Artest was going to the Lakers. That's the first thing everybody heard. How did they offer me on the first day of free agency if Ron Artest was (already) going to the Lakers? How? Does that make any sense? FH: No. Trevor Ariza: OK, well that's all I was trying to say. I'm not mad about it. I don't care. That's fine. But don't try to make me out to be the bad guy, like I'm this money-hungry, greedy person when that wasn't the case. It's crazy. I know the truth, and they know the truth. FanHouse.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza 

You signed a multi-year deal in Houston, so I’m guessing you didn’t expect to be traded after the first year. What was your reaction when you found out you’d be going to New Orleans? Trevor Ariza: I didn’t see it coming. But when it happened, there was nothing I could do about it. All you can do is move on, so that’s what I did. Dime: Do you have any hard feelings towards the Rockets? Trevor Ariza: No, I wouldn’t say that. It was a little confusing when it happened, but I understand there is a business side to basketball. Dime

Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Trevor Ariza