SE: Getting to Know Luke Kasubke of K-State Men’s Hoops
Aug 12, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
Luke Kasubke spoke with Austin Siegel of K-State Sports Extra about his recruitment process, playing AAU ball with K-State teammate Davion Bradford and his basketball role models growing up in St. Louis.
The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
AS: Looking back on last year, what gave you the confidence to commit to K-State in the fall?
LK: They had been recruiting me since the beginning, probably around my freshman or sophomore year of high school. They never stopped. K-State recruited me the whole way and I built a great relationship with Coach Lowery and really the entire coaching staff. When I took my visit, I could really tell there was a family atmosphere here, which was something they had all talked about. That was the big piece for me and why I felt comfortable committing.
AS: Obviously, this is a very unique time to arrive at a program like K-State, but what have your first few months in Manhattan been like so far?
LK: It's been good – We're progressing back to basketball while trying to stay safe. We started out with some lighter stuff, just individual-type workouts, but now we're able to work out with the coaches and get back in the weight room. It's a lot of work, but I love it.
AS: From talking to Davion [Bradford], it sounds like those AAU games you guys played when you were teammates back in St. Louis were highly competitive, night-in and night-out. How did that atmosphere prepare you to make the jump to college ball?
LK: You had to show up and play hard every day otherwise you were going to be exposed. I think that was the biggest thing it taught me: play hard at all times.
AS: How were those games different from your high school career at Chaminade? That was something else that came up with Davion, playing high school basketball you're going up against guys you might have half a foot on and can dominate, but with AAU, it sounds like those games were a lot more evenly matched?
LK: For sure, in AAU ball everybody is huge but in high school I usually had like a foot on everybody. You just needed to adjust your game, maybe pull up more instead of going to the basket.
AS: Was there a part of your game that you feel like you really elevated as a senior in high school?
LK: Shooting has always been my strong suit, so I worked on that a lot. Just making sure I keep my shot ready, but other than that, I really just focused on getting stronger.
AS: When you were going through the recruiting process, how helpful was it to have so many St. Louis guys around the program when you were weighing your college decision?
LK: I never really thought about it too much, I was always just looking for the best fit. But, Davion and I have been playing together since seventh grade, so it's kind of crazy how it all worked out when K-State was recruiting him as well. We talked about it a little, here and there. When it was time for us to take our visit, it was like, "I'm taking my visit this weekend, when are you going to take it," and he was like, "Well, they gave me a few options, so I'll just take it on the same day as you." Ever since then, we didn't really say anything because we just wanted the best for each other, but it really has just been that feeling of like, "We're going to do this."
AS: Well, I know you were the first one to commit to K-State, so once you pulled the trigger did you talk to Davion at all about what you might be able to accomplish together?
LK: Like I said, I didn't want to pressure him at all because I just wanted the best for him, but I was definitely in his ear like letting him know, "Man, we could do this together and it would be so much fun."
AS: When you think about the guys you're going to be facing in the Big 12 every night, how much does that motivate you?
LK: I love competition and I love the challenge. Seeing all these big-name teams on the schedule, it definitely motivates me because I want to go out there, beat them and become one of those top guys.
AS: Going back a few months, I appreciated that during The Last Dance you tweeted the correct, at least to me, opinion that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. Are there any other guys in college or the NBA who have inspired you during your career?
LK: I would say all of the St. Louis guys. Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal, I grew up watching them. Especially Brad, because I was this much younger kid and he was a top player in high school. Those were the guys I looked up to because I wanted to be where they were at.
AS: Looking ahead to the next few months, hopefully things are going to improve and we can start getting to back to basketball, what gets you fired up about that?
LK: I'm just excited to get in the gym with everybody. We couldn't work out with the whole team together this summer, so it's time to get to work.
The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
AS: Looking back on last year, what gave you the confidence to commit to K-State in the fall?
LK: They had been recruiting me since the beginning, probably around my freshman or sophomore year of high school. They never stopped. K-State recruited me the whole way and I built a great relationship with Coach Lowery and really the entire coaching staff. When I took my visit, I could really tell there was a family atmosphere here, which was something they had all talked about. That was the big piece for me and why I felt comfortable committing.
AS: Obviously, this is a very unique time to arrive at a program like K-State, but what have your first few months in Manhattan been like so far?
LK: It's been good – We're progressing back to basketball while trying to stay safe. We started out with some lighter stuff, just individual-type workouts, but now we're able to work out with the coaches and get back in the weight room. It's a lot of work, but I love it.
AS: From talking to Davion [Bradford], it sounds like those AAU games you guys played when you were teammates back in St. Louis were highly competitive, night-in and night-out. How did that atmosphere prepare you to make the jump to college ball?
LK: You had to show up and play hard every day otherwise you were going to be exposed. I think that was the biggest thing it taught me: play hard at all times.
AS: How were those games different from your high school career at Chaminade? That was something else that came up with Davion, playing high school basketball you're going up against guys you might have half a foot on and can dominate, but with AAU, it sounds like those games were a lot more evenly matched?
LK: For sure, in AAU ball everybody is huge but in high school I usually had like a foot on everybody. You just needed to adjust your game, maybe pull up more instead of going to the basket.
AS: Was there a part of your game that you feel like you really elevated as a senior in high school?
LK: Shooting has always been my strong suit, so I worked on that a lot. Just making sure I keep my shot ready, but other than that, I really just focused on getting stronger.
Coming 🔜 to Bramlage...
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) November 14, 2019
🎯 @LukeKasubke 🎯#KStateMBB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/ADv4e59eKS
AS: When you were going through the recruiting process, how helpful was it to have so many St. Louis guys around the program when you were weighing your college decision?
LK: I never really thought about it too much, I was always just looking for the best fit. But, Davion and I have been playing together since seventh grade, so it's kind of crazy how it all worked out when K-State was recruiting him as well. We talked about it a little, here and there. When it was time for us to take our visit, it was like, "I'm taking my visit this weekend, when are you going to take it," and he was like, "Well, they gave me a few options, so I'll just take it on the same day as you." Ever since then, we didn't really say anything because we just wanted the best for each other, but it really has just been that feeling of like, "We're going to do this."
Made it official today 💜✍️ pic.twitter.com/nR5DoxweUj
— Luke Kasubke (@LukeKasubke) November 13, 2019
AS: Well, I know you were the first one to commit to K-State, so once you pulled the trigger did you talk to Davion at all about what you might be able to accomplish together?
LK: Like I said, I didn't want to pressure him at all because I just wanted the best for him, but I was definitely in his ear like letting him know, "Man, we could do this together and it would be so much fun."
AS: When you think about the guys you're going to be facing in the Big 12 every night, how much does that motivate you?
LK: I love competition and I love the challenge. Seeing all these big-name teams on the schedule, it definitely motivates me because I want to go out there, beat them and become one of those top guys.
AS: Going back a few months, I appreciated that during The Last Dance you tweeted the correct, at least to me, opinion that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. Are there any other guys in college or the NBA who have inspired you during your career?
LK: I would say all of the St. Louis guys. Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal, I grew up watching them. Especially Brad, because I was this much younger kid and he was a top player in high school. Those were the guys I looked up to because I wanted to be where they were at.
AS: Looking ahead to the next few months, hopefully things are going to improve and we can start getting to back to basketball, what gets you fired up about that?
LK: I'm just excited to get in the gym with everybody. We couldn't work out with the whole team together this summer, so it's time to get to work.
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