By JAMES MADDEN & SAM LANCE
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA — Purdue commit Luke Ertel has drawn many comparisons to a familiar face in West Lafayette: Braden Smith. Ertel, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard from Mount Vernon (IN) will spend the summer with Indiana Elite on the 3SSB circuit.
Ertel announced his commitment in August 2024, electing to remain in his home state of Indiana and play for Matt Painter and the Boilermakers.
“Just a great program. It’s my home state and just stable,” Ertel told ZAGSBLOG. “They’ve won so many games. It’s a place I can go and grow there.”
Growing up in Indiana, Ertel knew he wanted to remain in-state early in his recruitment and committed to Purdue before his junior season. He said he knew very quickly that Purdue is a place that felt like home and he wanted to wear the black and gold in West Lafayette.
“Really just on my visit, I knew this is a place I want to be, a place I can grow,” Ertel said. “It has great people there, that’s just when I knew.”
Ertel is a high-motor, physical and competitive guard and tries his best to be the hardest-playing player on the court at all times.
“I feel like I’m not the most athletic so I have to play hard all the time,” Ertel said.
Entering the summer, Ertel is looking to become a better passer and serve as a better lead-guard, hoping to fill the shoes of Braden Smith when he steps on campus in 2026.
“I’m just trying to get better,” he said. “Passing, just being a lead guard, just making my plays. That’s my goal for the summer and to keep making a name for myself.”
Being one of the most successful programs across the country throughout the 2020s, Purdue is entering the 2025-26 season as legitimate national championship contenders, behind a guy Ertel tries his best to learn from.
“A guy like Braden (Smith), who’s really talented with the ball in his hands does a lot for the team, it’s a very fun offense to watch,” Ertel said.
Luke Ertel is ranked as a three-star recruit and is top-150 nationally in the class of 2026 according to 247Sports. Through eight games on the 3SSB circuit, Ertel is averaging 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 45.3% from 3-point range.
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