Updated: Guard Luke Ertel becomes Purdue basketball's first 2026 commitment
Purdue has landed one of its earliest Class of 2026 targets, as Mount Vernon (Fortville) guard Luke Ertel committed to the Boilermakers Tuesday following an unofficial visit Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-2 Ertel chose Purdue after also fielding early, early offers from Butler and Wake Forest, among others, and preliminary interest from Indiana, South Carolina and more. He also unofficially visited Butler, alma mater of both his parents. Iowa was among those who seemed to be watching, as well, in June and July.
“Purdue was always one of my dream schools and getting on campus made me comfortable taking that final step,” Ertel said Monday night. “I didn’t really see a point in waiting for anything else.”
Purdue’s first 2026 commitment comes before the Boilermaker program landing a 2025 recruit, a process that will accelerate this month as fall official visits begin.
Purdue was decisive in its recruitment of Ertel, who was Mount Vernon’s starting quarterback as a freshman — throwing to now-Boilermaker tight end George Burhenn — before a foot injury compelled him to focus solely on basketball, where a football mentality very much shows itself.
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Ertel’s a very good three-point and mid-range shooter, but also a physical, tenacious and versatile defender with quick hands and a knack for making high-impact defensive or simple hustle plays. He is inordinately productive as a rebounder, too. The sort of “winning qualities” Matt Painter often speaks of, combined with the sort of skill Painter covets. Ertel was roughly a 50-percent three-point shooter in adidas 3SSB circuit play this spring and summer, playing with Indiana Elite’s 17-and-under team.
“Coach Painter’s an awesome coach,” Ertel said, ” and he values a lot of the stuff (I do) that some coaches don’t see.”
The backcourt will be a bg deal for Purdue with its 2026 class as that’ll be the first season post-Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer.
“It’s going to be an awesome opportunity,” Ertel said of Purdue. “Obviously it’s really competitive in college basketball nowadays. … It’s a great opportunity and it’s Purdue, so it’s the best of both worlds. Everything’s earned.”
