He grew several inches and was playing Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball when Seattle University spotted him and gave him a scholarship after his military service had concluded.

[3] As a senior, Tresvant was a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Far West Region All-Star selection.

[5][6] He played nine seasons in the league with St. Louis, the Detroit Pistons, the Cincinnati Royals, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Baltimore Bullets, posting NBA career averages of 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds.

[5][1] He was a member of the 1969-1970 Lakers team that lost the seven-game NBA finals to the New York Knicks, playing in four games.

[9] The following year, he was a member of the Bullets team that defeated the reigning champion Knicks in a seven-game Eastern Conference finals, playing a more significant role.

[10] During the series, he defended against Knicks hall of fame forward Dave DeBusschere, his former Detroit teammate and coach.