Luke Harper

I started out training players while I was in college, mainly as a side hustle, training family friends. Once I graduated, I moved overseas to play basketball professionally. While playing for Avanti Mondorf in Luxembourg, I also helped coach their youth team, which was the best in the country at the time. I was not paid for it and did it simply as a way to build a positive relationship with the community and team management. Following my playing career, which was cut short due to some health issues, I became a basketball coach at Lorena High School, a 4A school near Waco. I served as the head assistant and focused primarily on player development. The players I helped develop became some of the best in the area, earning several first-team all-district honors as well as the offensive MVP award two years in a row. I really enjoyed my time coaching, but realized my true passion was development.

As an athlete, I started my career at John Brown University, one of the best NAIA schools in the country at the time. At John Brown, I was a 1x All-American, 4x All-Conference player, 1x Offensive Player of the Year, a top-10 scorer in program history, and led the league in three-point makes on two separate occasions. I then transferred for my graduate year to East Central University, where I was once again an All-Conference player, finished second in the entire league in assists, and maintained the best assist-to-turnover ratio in our conference. After this, I transitioned to my professional career. I began my playing career in France and after a brief stint there, I moved to Luxembourg to play for Avanti Mondorf, where I led the team to their highest finish in program history while leading them in both scoring and assists.

I like to start every session with a mobility routine. I believe that great players move great, and if you aren't mobile, it's pretty hard to become a great player.
Every session is tailored to the individual player's game. For example, a shooter's workout will look very different from a point guard's. I also take into account what system they play in, as that shapes what skills matter most for them.
From there, we move into ball handling. We start with ball control, working through exercises designed to rewire the athlete's motor skills and build a stronger connection with the ball. After that, we get into different moves, and I walk them through the subtle details — what works, what doesn't, and why. Throughout this entire section, we work equally on both the right and left hand.
Next, we focus on attacking the basket. A big emphasis here is finishing off two feet and being able to finish with either hand, with a variety of options — floaters, reverse layups, etc. After that, we move into shooting, where footwork is the priority. The goal is to be able to shoot off the move while staying balanced, with proper hand placement whether shooting off the catch or off the dribble. I want their shot to be smooth, efficient, and as simple-looking as possible.
To close out the session, it's time to apply everything. This is where I'll usually go 1-on-1 with my player — whatever we worked on that day, I'm going to test them on it and make them use it in a real situation. That's where the real learning happens.