Ever since Luke Wiest was 5 years old, he has always loved the game of basketball. From Caledonia, Michigan he was the quarterback for his High School’s football team and was point guard for the basketball team.
However, this wasn’t the normal college recruit case for the Sports Studies and Professional sales junior.
“I always wanted to play college basketball for a division one school, so I emailed the coaches, I had a good try out and they asked me to come back,” Wiest said. “I walked on as a freshman.”
Luke not only likes playing basketball, but he also enjoys watching it, especially the NCAA tournaments.
Last year, the basketball team hit a rough patch; Central Michigan University fired head coach, Ernie Zeigler. Wiest was one of the only four to come back to the game.
Now head coach, Keno Davis, “He lets us play with a lot of freedom, you get to play your own style,” Wiest said.
The team practices in the mornings, six days a week and when they aren’t traveling, “I try and go to all the classes that I can.” Wiest has a 3.3 GPA. His favorite place they have traveled to was the Bahamas because it was warm and has a beach. He also enjoyed Utah because it was really pretty.
“My team is one big family, we all hang outside of basketball, have each others backs and no one is a selfish player,” Wiest said. All of his teammates have a lot of respect for the coaching staff too.
Some of Luke’s favorite things are the color blue, the movie Coach Carter and chicken fettuccini alfredo. He is also a part of the Student Athlete Athletic Council at CMU. In his spare time he likes spending time with family, friends, his dog, Sophie, and shopping for new shoes. He has 20 pairs! In the summer he likes spending his time at his cottage on Lake Michigan and his favorite holiday is St. Patrick’s Day.
His favorite college basketball team is CMU and professional team is the Los Angeles Clippers. “Michael Jordan is my favorite player of all time.”
Wearing the number 20 on his jersey to him means hard work and dedication.
Luke has one tattoo and its Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This resembles his religion and “what I try and live by each day,” Wiest said.
The best basketball player he has seen play is point guard, Trey Burke, who plays for University of Michigan. Luke played in the Michigan game. He said it was a cool experience and there were a lot of people there.
Luke contributes to the team’s success by being a hard worker and a team player. “Even though I don’t play that much, my goal was to stay positive for the team and give it my all in and off the court.”