Intro 2024: Luke Williams
At Prep Hoops Illinois we are always looking ahead to the next group of top players. In this series we dive into a look at the top incoming freshman on our radar at this point. We spoke with Breakaway Basketball…
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Continue ReadingAt Prep Hoops Illinois we are always looking ahead to the next group of top players. In this series we dive into a look at the top incoming freshman on our radar at this point.
We spoke with Breakaway Basketball director Greg Ktistou to chat about his standout freshman guard from Naperville North. Check out our Intro 2024: Luke Williams!
Luke Williams (Naperville North)
How would you best describe his game at this stage?
Luke is player that a young age already has a great feel for the game and tremendous confidence. He understands how to get his teammates involved by making plays for them, and he understands when it’s go time for him to take over and dominate the game. He can get to the basket and finish above the rim, make plays for others, knock down the three, and is a tremendous defender.
What is his current height and weight?
6’2 175lbs
Long term what is an area that you believe can be developed in his game that might not be as evident right now?
For Luke continuing to build that next level mentality. He is such an unselfish player and cares so much for his teammates, but getting him to understand that its okay for him to be more aggressive and stay in attack mode the entire 32 minutes. He has earned the right to make more plays, take more shots, guard the best player, getting him to understand that being more aggressive does not mean he is selfish. I think kids who are typically great teammates always have to learn that being more aggressive to make plays for themselves and others does not make them a bad teammate.
What are the biggest traits he will bring to your program over the next several years?
Luke is very confident and always believes that he can play with anyone. Even in 8th grade playing with high school seniors he was never fearful of the competition. His confidence rubs off on his teammates. Having a point guard like Luke is also important because he can do so many things for your team to win even when he is not scoring the ball. It is a rare quality to make a positive impact on the game even when you are not scoring, but those who can do that are very special in my opinion. Ultimately Luke is used to winning and we always look for players that come from winning programs. He understands what it takes to win and I watched him many times where he refused to let his team lose. Lastly what also makes Luke special is he never gets too high or too low during the course of a game. He does a great job of keeping his emotions in check and that also is huge for any player especially one who is running the team.
Is there a recent Illinois high school player that he reminds you of at a young age?
There are always going to be players who can score the ball and make plays for others. Luke can do that with the best of them. He is a great offensive player, but Luke takes pride in his defense. His on and off the ball defense is high level. The best defender I was ever around was Bryan Mullins. The ultimate disruptor of every game he played. His brother Zeke is very much like that as well and Luke is already showing that tremendous ability to shut down the best player on the opposing team. There are tons of guys who can score but if you can not guard at a high level you will struggle to make it to the highest level. Luke has the ability to dominate on both ends of the floor and that is what will make him special.
Has there been any early college recruitment with him yet?
Currently college coaches are very excited to get their first look at him this spring and summer. We will play Luke up at the 16U level and he will get plenty of attention playing on the Prep Hoops and the Under Armour Circuit this year. Helping him and all the kids understand that the focus is on getting better and eventually all the recruitment will take care of itself. I want to make sure Luke is enjoying the game, enjoying the work, and there is no pressure about college. He is only a freshman, and basketball is a marathon not a sprint.