Newcomer Q&A with Luke Bamgboye
June 22, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – Following a workout during the third week of summer, we sat down with Luke Bamgboye for a quick conversation inside the Womble Practice Facility. Bamgboye was the sixth signee this offseason, officially joining the Red Raiders on April 25 after playing his freshman season at VCU. A 6-foot-10 sophomore from London, United Kingdom, Bamgboye was third in the A-10 last season with 75 blocked shots and 2.14 blocks per game. He also ranked second among all freshmen in the nation with his 75 blocks and was tied for 17th among all players with his blocks per game average. Along with his shot-blocking prowess, Bamgboye finished his freshman season at VCU by adding 3.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 35 appearances. He started 24 games, came away with 19 steals and shot 58-for-97 (59.8 percent) from the field.
What do you bring to the team on and off the court?
"I'm a guy who will always play hard and brings the group together. Help at the rim and block a shot or at least get a good contest. I bring energy off the court when we may not be talking too much. I try to be breath of fresh air. I want to bring the energy every day. Whether it's in practice or a game.I want to be someone that anyone on the team can go and talk to. I want to be known as someone who competes every day."
What do you want to get most out of summer workouts?
"I want to put on weight while still maintaining athleticism. That's a big thing for me this summer. I've already been in the weight room with Coach Wright a lot and have really enjoyed it. I also want to get comfortable playing with my new teammates and really get to know them. Try to build a good connection. Getting better at shooting the ball and playing with more physicality is also a few things I want to improve on."
Favorite food or restaurant?
"Chipotle. I like to get a bowl with white rice, pinto beans, chicken and steak, cheese, corn and hot sauce."
What do you want to develop the most in your game?
"I want to be able to play on the perimeter more than I have in the past. Shooting and driving through contact. Making the right play by getting the ball to the right place when it's in my hands."
What do you want your teammates and coaches to say about you?
"I would want them to say that I attacked every day on and off the court. During practice or a game that I'm always giving it 100 percent."
Top musicians?
Nimz. Asaki.
How do you impact winning?
"Giving it my all and being a safety net by blocking a lot of shots. I give a lot of effort to fight for second-chance possessions. I bring a lot of things that might not be on the stat sheet but help teams win."
What do you think makes you unique as a person?
"I'm not afraid to speak my mind. I don't have a lot of negatives to say, but I can say it if I need to. I'm able to connect with a lot of people because of that. I'm able to get to know people beyond surface level."
Who is the first person you'd call for advice or to share something good?
"My trainer, Colin Brown, in Arizona. He was one of my assistant coaches during high school and has trained me ever since. I call him all the time – after a good game or a bad game. We speak daily about how everything is going. He keeps me focused."
What standard have you set for yourself in your work ethic?
"To show up every day. That's non-negotiable. There's always something you can be doing to get better, even on an off day. Taking care of your body by getting in the cold tub, just resting or watching film. It's all part of a process. I really believe that you can get better every day with that mindset. I like feeling at peace that I've done something to improve."
Who's a player you see shades of yourself in?
"When I was coming up just starting to watch basketball I wanted to play like Kevin Garnett. My coaches in England told me to watch how he played. I'm not fully there, but I hear some Pascal Siakam flashes some times. I have to keep working for sure."
What is something off the basketball court that people don't know about you?
"I can cook. Katsu curry. You fry chicken in breadcrumbs and put curry over white rice. I can make some good wings too. My mom's recipes."
What do you want to embrace the most about playing at Texas Tech?
"I want to embrace being coached up. I feel like I've already received a lot of great coaching in the couple weeks we've been here. They all really know the game and I can see they care about me and want me to be great. Taking coaching and learning. Also learning from my new teammates. These guys have done really well so I can learn from how they go about their day and how they play the game."
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