Luke Goode at peace with NCAA denying waiver to return to IU. Here's why and what's next

Indianapolis Star

6 days ago

INDIANAPOLIS — A process that was double in length caught Luke Goode celebrating the Fourth of July with his family.
It was then that he found out his Indiana basketball career was over, even after spending the offseason working out at IU with who he thought would be his Hoosiers teammates. He heard July 3 that the NCAA had taken seven weeks, which seemed like an eternity from the usual three to four weeks, to deny his waiver for a medical redshirt and an extra season of eligibility.
"It was super difficult because I was training to stay in shape," Goode said after his run at The Basketball Tournament with Fort Wayne Champs ended Monday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. "I was actually down at Indiana working out with the team but it was just weird because I didn't know what I was preparing for, whether it was to come back to college or for the professional level. Just not knowing my future was the toughest part. I know everything's going to work out."
Goode had argued, and IU's attorneys were involved, that he should get an extra year for playing in only 10 games during his sophomore season at Illinois. He was injured and missed the start of the season, playing only from Feb. 11 and into the postseason, to which could have been rewarded for trying to come back and help his team, but postseason appearances typically led the NCAA to deny waivers in the past.
IU's attorneys said about 10% of cases get overturned, and so he opted against an appeal process.
"I just wanted to move on with my basketball career," he said.
Though he thought he'd continue for one more season playing at Assembly Hall, the sense of finality was something Goode was at peace with. After his first three years at Illinois, Goode finished his career starting 16 of 32 games for IU, averaging 9.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game and shooting 39.2% from 3.
"Yeah, I mean, I was hoping (to return)," Goode said. "I went through senior day, I got to play in an Indiana jersey, that was the biggest thing.
"The whole situation is just kind of unique because I should have been doing workouts and potentially playing (NBA) Summer League, but instead I was home, waiting at Indiana and training with the team. It was a unique situation, but I made the most of it."
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Goode is left searching for what's next. He played in TBT after an invitation from his trainer, Kevin Bloom, an assistant coach with Fort Wayne. Goode was still wearing his IU shoes, "they were the only pair of basketball shoes I have broken in right now," he said. And it was an opportunity to play with guys from his hometown he used to watch.
"Yeah, it's awesome. It's an extremely unique tourney. ... I was actually a late addition because of the waiver, I didn't know a single guy on the team beside Jarred (Godfrey) and TreVion (Crews), because Jared played at PFW and TreVion was from Fort Wayne, so, everybody else, I've heard of them, I watched them when I was maybe 8 years old, 10 years old ... playing with guys like that, it's pretty cool."
Goode said it was his first time playing at storied Hinkle Fieldhouse. He had 12 points (3 of 7 from field, 2-6 on 3s) and three rebounds in 18 minutes in Fort Wayne's 103-56 win over Locked In Elite in Saturday's first round. He added six points (1-2 on 3s, 3-3 free throws), two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 14 minutes of Fort Wayne's 73-69 loss to reigning champion Carmen's Crew, a group of Ohio State alumni.
The tournament has often been a showcase for players to find their next professional home, and it was Goode's first chance since losing in the Big Ten tournament and being left out of the NCAA tournament. So, what's he thinking?
"Still trying to figure it out. I told my agent I'd like to play in the States, so probably the G League is where I'll go next. Trying to be a two-way player if I can and potentially overseas. I'm still figuring it out, hoping for the best opportunity possible. Like I said, it's such a unique situation, it's hard even for my agent because teams don't know what I'm doing. Now that there's a definitive answer, I can finally get going."