Illinois Basketball: Luke Goode chats about Illini, goals and Bryce Hopkins

There are so many nicknames I have in mind for future Illinois basketball guard Luke Goode.

With his red hair and sharpshooting abilities, the natural nickname is something like the “red rifle” or something of that nature. But, for now, I am going to call him Luke, the first player to pledge his commitment to the Illinois class of 2021.

Goode, a 6-foot-5, 175-pound small forward, committed to the Illini back on April 17 and hasn’t wavered one bit. Checking in as the No. 99 player in the class of 2021, Goode has a chance to make an instant impact for the Orange and Blue. But that doesn’t matter for the talented wing. He is coming in with purely a winning mindset.

“Whether or not I start or come off the bench or even play is out of my control. I’ve never been one to worry about that, as I trust the coaches enough to put myself and my teammates in the right positions to win.”

Illinois coaches do see the potential for early playing time, though.

“With that being said, coaches have said that there are opportunities for me the first year with my ability to shoot and my basketball IQ.”

An early commitment from Goode was big for the Illinois basketball program. A top 100 recruit from northeast Indiana is unheard of for the Illini. Sometimes with an early commitment comes complacency with the coaches who are recruiting the player. That isn’t the case in this situation.

“I do stay in touch with them. I talked to Coach Underwood the other day, and I talk to Coach Gentry almost every day. They keep telling me to get stronger and be an “elite shooter”.

Illinois coaches seem to be harping on strength as the Big Ten is not a cakewalk conference. You have to be tough and physical regardless of position.

If Goode can improve his strength and his shot, there is no telling where his ceiling will end up being. But he has to put in the work to accomplish these goals, and that doesn’t seem to be a problem.

“Yes, I’ve been lifting every day and been on a program that will make my lower body a lot stronger. I’m focusing on my vertical athleticism and strength to help out freshman year in the B1G.”

With the worldwide pandemic going on, it is hard for some players to function as athletes and students. Goode had a chance to address that as well.

“Things are going really well. We are having open gyms and they are going well too. School has been in-person with a mask requirement, so it’s a little different but I’m glad I can go physically.”

Normality might not return until Goode gets to Champaign, but it seems that he is doing the best he can with the current situation at hand. A big question remains about who is going to be joining Goode in 2021, though.

As mentioned earlier, Goode is the first and only commitment so far for the Illini. More are sure to be on the horizon. As a recruit, Goode is doing his part in the recruitment process.

“Well, I don’t have many thoughts about the class right now because I’m the only one. But, once again, I can only do so much with other recruit’s recruiting process. I have been diligent in doing my part, but I also realize that it’s their process and don’t want to be annoying about it. All I’m saying, though, is Illini fans need to trust in the coaches and what they are doing. Whether or not we get more recruits in the class, we got enough players to be elite.”

With some Illinois targets heading elsewhere over the past couple of weeks, Goode is still in communication with one of the best players in the class of 2021.

“Well, I was really close to Jordan Nesbitt and that was unfortunate because he was almost 100-percent committed at one point. But I’ve been talking with Bryce Hopkins a lot and selling him on how great Illinois is.”

All Illinois basketball fans are excited to hear that news. Having a one-two punch of Goode and Hopkins would bode well for the program moving forward.

Goode still has a senior season to finish up at Homestead, though. The regional power should have another good year after making it to the sectional championship and falling just short against New Haven this past season.

As a junior, Goode put up some impressive numbers averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. These numbers are sure to increase as a senior. But the Illinois commit isn’t worried about numbers.

“My goals for this season are to win a state championship and nothing less. Personally, I want to improve my leadership and defensive capabilities. Points and stats like that don’t really matter to me. I just want to win games and win championships.”

Illinois basketball fans are absolutely going to love this kid as he puts his team first. He also has a message for Illini Nation.

“I’m excited to play this year and the years coming up for Illinois. Champaign needs to be ready to cheer on very successful teams in the future.”

The future is bright for the talented wing. Goode is going to put up incredible numbers as a senior and then enter the college ranks as one of the best in the nation. Illinois landed a special one with this kid.