Student Athlete Interview: Luke Goode
Luke Goode at the Jan. 2022 Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball vs. Michigan State game. (Image by Justin Shen/UI Athletics) Sophomore basketball forward Luke Goode played in 28 games last year; by season’s end, his 3-pointers off the bench helped power the Illini to the second round of the NCAA tournament. He was poised to join the starting lineup for the 2022–23 season when he broke his foot during scrimmage. After successful surgery in late October, he’s looking forward to returning.
How did the injury happen, and what was treatment like? I went for a long rebound, stepped on someone’s foot and felt a pop. I tried to walk it off, but it was too painful. I got an X-ray the next day and soon after had surgery. I’m on the road to recovery, taking it day-by-day and excited to get back.
What do you do when you’re not training or rehabbing? It’s hard during the season, but I like to be outdoors. This summer, I asked on Twitter if any Illinois fans wanted to go fishing with me. I got close to 100 responses and met up with a few people from around the area, which was nice.
Your grandfather, father, uncle and cousin all have been pro athletes. What have you learned from them? Stay in your lane and persevere. There are so many ups and downs in sports. It’s a roller coaster of emotions, and you’ve just got to stay steady. This year, I had a really big opportunity and I got hurt, but I’m going to better myself from it.
