Recker Is Real Deal
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - It's scary, because Luke Recker has just begun to flex his muscle.
Recker single-handedly took command of the Wawasee Warriors for 38 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 assists as he led his team in a lopsided 71-47 Saturday win.
No one on the floor could guard him, and he even beat up on several of the Warrior double-team efforts.
The scary part is, the best is yet to come.
He verbally committed to Indiana University and all the hype that goes with it late in his sophomore year. Most big recruits like Recker don't make up their minds until during their senior year, but Recker knew he wanted to go to IU.
"I think IU is just the right place for me," Recker said. "It was a perfect fit."
Recker took a trip to IU during his sophomore year.
"They had 10 recruits down there, and Coach (Bob) Knight pulled me aside and took me into his office and basically told me everything I wanted to hear. He wasn't fooling around."
Recker is not afraid of Knight and the fiery reputation that precedes him.
"After getting to know Coach Knight - everyone sees his tirades on the floor - off the floor, he's just a wonderful person," Recker said. "He really watches out for his players. People don't see that side. All they see is him yelling and screaming, but even when he does it, he's sincere about trying to make the players better. If you go out there and play hard and do what he wants you to do, then you're not gonna have a problem with him."
DeKalb coach Cliff Hawkins noticed Recker's abilities early on.
"As an eighth grader, he'd work out and practice with our varsity team," Hawkins said. "They'd be playing open gym, and they'd pick him.
"His work ethic is incredible. The kid shoots the ball forever. Every day in the summer he works out. He plays basketball year-round. I think, without question, his athletic ability has something to do with it and his knowledge on how to win.
"He's worked to get to that level. You probably never know a Division I player until you see one. Then when you see one you understand what they are. A lot of times a good high school player will think he's a Division I player, or his parents will think he's one, and he's not."
Recker also sees hard work as a key to his success.
"It's all about hard work," he said. "I'll play basketball for five hours a day in the summer. I might get home from a camp at two in the morning and then get up at five to leave for another camp."
Aside from his great basketball abilities, Recker is also a straight-A student and ranked ninth (out of 315) in his class.
"I think it's all about priorities," he said. "People have to get their priorities in line. Academics is something that's very important to me. If for some reason I can't play basketball ever again, then I'm gonna have that to fall back on."
As one of the nation's top recruits, Recker is in the same age group as some of the players now in the NBA, like Los Angeles Laker teen Kobe Bryant or Portland teen Jermaine O'Neal.
"I see where they're coming from, but I think they're making a big mistake," Recker said. "They're 18-year-old kids getting tossed millions of dollars. They've gotta realize that they've gotta grow up a little bit. You can't go from high school to hanging out with 25- or 30-year-old guys. I understand why they do it. Personally, I don't agree."
Recker takes all the hype in stride.
"It's flattering," he said. "You just gotta kind of downplay it. I try not to think about it."
Hawkins said his player has never let the hype go to his head.
"Luke doesn't care," he said. "Luke is focused on being a DeKalb Baron right now."
Wawasee coach Jerry Davis, who was a manager on Indiana's 1981 championship team, says Recker will be fine at IU.
"He has some offensive skill, great size and quickness," he said. "I think he's gonna be a good college player. I don't know where he fits in with what Coach Knight has in mind, but I'm sure Coach Knight has something that he sees in the kid. I think he'll fit in very well down there."
Hawkins and Recker are excited about Recker's future on this DeKalb team. After all, the high school season's only three games old. He's not at IU yet.
"We're real excited about his chances at Mr. Basketball," Hawkins said, "but Luke's not going to define his success on whether or not he gets Mr. Basketball. He's going to define his success on being the person he is and by reaching future goals. If he doesn't get it, he'll live with it. Luke's a winner, so he knows how to handle that." [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - It's scary, because Luke Recker has just begun to flex his muscle.
Recker single-handedly took command of the Wawasee Warriors for 38 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 assists as he led his team in a lopsided 71-47 Saturday win.
No one on the floor could guard him, and he even beat up on several of the Warrior double-team efforts.
The scary part is, the best is yet to come.
He verbally committed to Indiana University and all the hype that goes with it late in his sophomore year. Most big recruits like Recker don't make up their minds until during their senior year, but Recker knew he wanted to go to IU.
"I think IU is just the right place for me," Recker said. "It was a perfect fit."
Recker took a trip to IU during his sophomore year.
"They had 10 recruits down there, and Coach (Bob) Knight pulled me aside and took me into his office and basically told me everything I wanted to hear. He wasn't fooling around."
Recker is not afraid of Knight and the fiery reputation that precedes him.
"After getting to know Coach Knight - everyone sees his tirades on the floor - off the floor, he's just a wonderful person," Recker said. "He really watches out for his players. People don't see that side. All they see is him yelling and screaming, but even when he does it, he's sincere about trying to make the players better. If you go out there and play hard and do what he wants you to do, then you're not gonna have a problem with him."
DeKalb coach Cliff Hawkins noticed Recker's abilities early on.
"As an eighth grader, he'd work out and practice with our varsity team," Hawkins said. "They'd be playing open gym, and they'd pick him.
"His work ethic is incredible. The kid shoots the ball forever. Every day in the summer he works out. He plays basketball year-round. I think, without question, his athletic ability has something to do with it and his knowledge on how to win.
"He's worked to get to that level. You probably never know a Division I player until you see one. Then when you see one you understand what they are. A lot of times a good high school player will think he's a Division I player, or his parents will think he's one, and he's not."
Recker also sees hard work as a key to his success.
"It's all about hard work," he said. "I'll play basketball for five hours a day in the summer. I might get home from a camp at two in the morning and then get up at five to leave for another camp."
Aside from his great basketball abilities, Recker is also a straight-A student and ranked ninth (out of 315) in his class.
"I think it's all about priorities," he said. "People have to get their priorities in line. Academics is something that's very important to me. If for some reason I can't play basketball ever again, then I'm gonna have that to fall back on."
As one of the nation's top recruits, Recker is in the same age group as some of the players now in the NBA, like Los Angeles Laker teen Kobe Bryant or Portland teen Jermaine O'Neal.
"I see where they're coming from, but I think they're making a big mistake," Recker said. "They're 18-year-old kids getting tossed millions of dollars. They've gotta realize that they've gotta grow up a little bit. You can't go from high school to hanging out with 25- or 30-year-old guys. I understand why they do it. Personally, I don't agree."
Recker takes all the hype in stride.
"It's flattering," he said. "You just gotta kind of downplay it. I try not to think about it."
Hawkins said his player has never let the hype go to his head.
"Luke doesn't care," he said. "Luke is focused on being a DeKalb Baron right now."
Wawasee coach Jerry Davis, who was a manager on Indiana's 1981 championship team, says Recker will be fine at IU.
"He has some offensive skill, great size and quickness," he said. "I think he's gonna be a good college player. I don't know where he fits in with what Coach Knight has in mind, but I'm sure Coach Knight has something that he sees in the kid. I think he'll fit in very well down there."
Hawkins and Recker are excited about Recker's future on this DeKalb team. After all, the high school season's only three games old. He's not at IU yet.
"We're real excited about his chances at Mr. Basketball," Hawkins said, "but Luke's not going to define his success on whether or not he gets Mr. Basketball. He's going to define his success on being the person he is and by reaching future goals. If he doesn't get it, he'll live with it. Luke's a winner, so he knows how to handle that." [[In-content Ad]]