2026 Purdue Signee Luke Ertel Named to Watch List for Prestigious High School Award
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Purdue signee Luke Ertel is among 50 high school basketball players named to a prestigious preseason watch list. The Mt. Vernon star earned recognition has he prepares for his senior season at the high school level.
Ertel was named to the Naismith Boys' High School Player of the Year Watch List for the 2025-26 season. He was among 50 players to receive recognition and earn a spot on the list.
Ertel is coming off a stellar junior season at Mt. Vernon. During the 2024-25 season, the four-star guard averaged 22.7 points, 4.0 assists, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot 51% from the floor and 45% from three-point range. The Marauders finished the season with a 21-6 record, reaching the semi-state round of the IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament.
🥁 The beat goes on.
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) November 13, 2025
Luke Ertel is 1-of-50 players named to @NaismithTrophy Boys High School Player of the Year Watch List. pic.twitter.com/6K1fXOsPBS
After an outstanding junior campaign and a tremendous run on the AAU circuit over the summer, Ertel saw a major bump in his status on 247Sports. He is now ranked as the No. 41 overall prospect in the cycle and is considered the top player in Indiana.
Ertel is one of four prospects in the 2026 class who signed his National Letter of Intent with Purdue on Wednesday. He is currently the highest-ranked prospect in the Boilermakers' class.
Others who signed with Purdue on Wednesday included four-star guard Jacob Webber, four-star center Sinan Huan, and three-star forward Rivers Knight. The Boilermakers currently have the second-ranked class in 2026, per 247Sports.
Matt Painter offers thoughts on Luke Ertel
Ertel committed to Purdue in August 2024 and never wavered from his pledge. When he initially committed, he was listed as a three-star prospect and was ranked in the 100s. He's only climbed his way up the rankings.
On Wednesday, coach Matt Painter was asked about Ertel's game and what he brings to Purdue. He had nothing but good things to say about the future Boilermaker.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a high school guy that we've taken with more intestinal fortitude. Just a determined player, tough, hard-nosed, gets after it, picks you up full court, birddogs the basketball," Painter said. "He's really improved his arsenal in terms of shooting the basketball. Not just catching and shooting, but getting to his pull-up, getting to bodies, bouncing off bodies, being able to make floaters and runners. He's put a lot of time into his game."
Ertel was named to the Indiana Junior All-Stars last season. He is expected to be in the running for Indiana's Mr. Basketball honor, as well.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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