Illinois transfer wing Luke Good is the newest member of the IU basketball program.
The Daily Hoosier spoke with the 6-foot-7 Good about his upbringing as an IU fan and his expected role with the Hoosiers.
Good is a career 38.8% three-point shooter who helped lead the Illinois Big Ten regular season championship in 2022 and the Big Ten Tournament title in 2024.
The complete Q&A about the Fort Wayne, Indiana product is below.
———————————————————
TDH: I noticed in the commitment video you posted that Jordan Hulls was passing the ball to you. That made me wonder if the 2013 Indiana team meant a lot to you when you became a young Hoosiers fan.
Good — that's right. I have a photo of Jordan Hulls from his freshman season. It was a game my brother and I would go to. Looking back on it, it's like a full circle moment in a sense. It was so cool growing up like that and being an IU fan and being able to have him visit and scout me.
(Note: There is something mystical about Indiana kids taking pictures with former players)
TDH: Your family has deep ties to IU, what was their reaction last week when all of this came together?
Good — they were so excited. My parents kept telling me how blessed I was to be in this situation. I had a great three years at the University of Illinois and got everything I wanted from being an undergraduate and playing college basketball. And now I have the opportunity to move on, and that's what happened in Indiana, but it's special for my family. My parents have a house in Bloomington, so it's great to be able to come here anytime. I'm really happy that my brother is at that school and we get to spend a lot of time together. looking forward to it.
TDH: Most IU fans know your uncle is former IU star quarterback Trent Green. What was his reaction to the news?
Good — we have a group chat of about 25 family members, so I told everyone before I made it public. And everyone congratulated me and looked forward to the end of my journey. He reached out to me and congratulated me on this opportunity and how special this situation is. Having a family with such deep ties to Indiana makes coming back home special not only for myself, but for my entire family as well.
TDH: Indiana State was involved in your recruiting efforts coming out of high school. Were there any connections or handovers from then to now?
Good — It was definitely a different coaching staff. But the only one still there is Coach (Brian) Walsh. He actually re-recruited me and was the lead recruiter throughout the portal transfer.
(Note: Good is a 2021 graduate who committed to the University of Illinois in 2020. Walsh was IU's director of basketball operations under former head coach Archie Miller).
TDH: In 2022, you played your first game at Simon Skyot Assembly Hall. I remember that he might have hit an air ball, but he might have also made a three? How was that match for you emotionally? Were you nervous?
Good — there's actually a story about that game. That was when I was a freshman, and like many freshmen, my minutes were a little shaky. But I remember taking my first shot in the first half. I felt very confident after that. But Jacob Grandison was in the game and didn't shoot, so I was on the bench. Coffey (Cockburn) catches the ball and they (IU) double-team him, but he doesn’t make the shot. So I went to the assistant coach and said, “Put me in, all right, I'll make the shot.'' So I hit an air ball. It was a kick-out three, but I hit an air ball.
(Note: Good was 2 of 3 in two games in Bloomington and made three 3-pointers against Indiana in Champaign in January.)
TDH: What messages have you received from the IU staff regarding your expected role on next year's team?
Good — Due to the makeup of the roster, they don't have much of a backup five right now, and Malik (Renault) is the only four-man player. So they can play small ball, they can move Malik to the five, me and Mackenzie (Mugabako) can play together and do a lot of things, because he's a good shooter and that's obviously why I Because it was brought about by
In terms of growth and role, it's similar to what Miller Cop did at IU. He went from a traditional standstill shooter at Northwestern to a more dynamic playmaker on the wing. They (Indiana State) showed me a lot of that clip. It just expands my game in terms of style. Get defensive rebounds and bring them up the court. And getting out of ball screens, pindowns and hobbles and becoming more dynamic in his offensive game is similar to the step Kopp took when he was at Indiana University.
TDH: Have you discussed the starter's role or is it just decided once everyone arrives on campus?
Good — that’s something I don’t ask too often. My mindset is, it's what you get. If I am in a position to start, I will start. If not, they either think I could have more of an impact coming off the bench, or they think I wasn't good enough. That has been my approach since college. Wherever my coach puts me, that's where I need to be most effective, that's where I can be most effective, that's where I can shine in my role.
TDH: Does Omar Baro remind you of Kofi Cockburn?
Good — yes, 100 percent. They are both dominant postmen. He's the closest thing to Kofi I've seen. They played against me my freshman year. A lot of inside-out action to get you open shots, so I'm excited to play with a guy like that again.
TDH: You missed a large portion of your sophomore year due to injury. I would like to know if you have evaluated whether you have the opportunity to play a fifth season of college basketball?
Good — they (IU) actually brought it up to me when they visited me. I went into that year knowing that I might not get it back, but the staff brought up the possibility of getting a fifth year. That's 100 percent something I'm looking forward to.
TDH: I know you're close with Caleb Furst and Fletcher Royer at Purdue. Have you talked to them about being on this side of the Indiana-Purdue conflict?
GOODE — Yeah, they were really cool about it. They congratulated me and made me very excited. Illinois State is a rival of both of these schools in a way and there's a lot of basketball history there and those games were always a little more competitive when I played against them. But now I'm sure it's just pure hatred between the (IU and Purdue) fan bases, so that would mean a little bit.
TDH: What should fans know about the kind of friendships you have with Furst, Royer, and others?
Good — people don't realize there's a basketball community. Especially if you're trying to play at a high level, you'll be in close contact with people from the same class and state. I know Fletch and Caleb and talk to them throughout the season. We talk a little trash before games, especially with Fletch, and it's all a lot of fun. At the end of the day, the competition is fierce, but when you're not playing, you're rooting for them. Until I play with them, I want nothing but the best for my friends.
(Note: Good was Royer's high school teammate and First's AAU teammate. All three are from Fort Wayne, Indiana.)
TDH: If the Big Ten were to schedule an Indiana game at Illinois this season, what would that mean for you?
GOODE — I hope it's great. There's nothing wrong with Illinois. The coaching staff has been really great to me and my family. I think everyone assumes the worst at the transfer portal. But the truth is, my situation was that I had finished school and was just looking for another opportunity. That's all. I never say anything bad about Illinois. I had a great opportunity there and had a great time. Two championships and an Elite Eight. So I've done a lot of things, and the most important thing is I got my degree. It's not like we had a rift or anything bad happened. I was just looking for a new opportunity. So I hope the (Illinois) fans understand that and I think if we can play there we'll get a pretty good reaction, but even if we don't, the school and the coaching staff and they My appreciation for what you have done for me remains the same.
For complete IU basketball coverage, go here.
Daily Hoosier – “Where Indiana fans gather when they’re not at a rally.”