The era of a one-position player on the basketball court is in the rearview.
Back in the day, if you could handle the ball you were a one-guard, if you could you were a two, etc.
But at present, coaches crave players who can roam around the court and take on various roles. The most highly-rated prep players can step out and hit a jumper, take a defender off the dribble and use some physicality to finish at the hoop.
Luke Goode is hearing that a lot this summer. Fresh off a busy May with Indy Heat on the AAU circuit, the Homestead junior wants to add some bulk and some ball-handling to his exceptional shooting prowess.
“In talking to college coaches, they like what I can do but also want to see me develop in different areas, ” said Goode, who sits on offers from Butler, Iowa and IUPUI. “I’m pushing myself to not be satisfied with just being an outside shooter.”
At 6-foot-6, Goode is tall enough to be considered a stretch-3 to some once college comes. But Goode knows his wiry frame isn’t conducive for winning battles with bulky big-time college basketball players. Getting in the weight room has become a priority.
Also tops on Goode’s list is adding to his ball-handling skills. Ideally, Goode will feel comfortable enough to grab a defensive rebound, run the break and either pull up from the outside or get to the hoop and finish.
“It is all about getting better across the board,” Goode said.
The shooting guard is in a good spot after a productive May. 247Sports has Goode rated No. 69 in its Class of 2021 rankings and a four-star recruit.
The Indy Heat 16U team fell one win short of qualifying for July’s Peach Jam in Georgia. However, Goode may get the call to play up with the 17U squad, which will participate in the event. If that happens, he will suit up alongside friend and Blackhawk Christian junior Caleb Furst, who has been playing up with the 17U team all summer.
While May was busy with AAU, June is arguably more crazy for Goode and his Homestead teammates. The team will participate in several events and shootouts around the state, including ones at Purdue, Indiana and PFW.
“It is going to be a crazy month, but fun for sure,” said Goode, who averaged 14.9 points and 5.6 rebounds last season.
In a few months, Goode will transition from the hardwood to the gridiron. There were some questions whether Goode would play football this fall, but after taking some time to think about it, the junior will be back at quarterback for Coach Chad Zolman and the Spartans.
“I talked about it a lot with my family and what I should do and I decided it would be good to give some of my muscles a rest and be active in other things,” Goode said.
Goode threw for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions while splitting time at quarterback last year with senior-to-be Jake Archbold.
UPDATE: On May 31, the day this article originally ran, Goode announced he had received his fourth basketball scholarship offer, this time the the University of Maryland.
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