Former FSU hoops standout Luke Loucks making trip to Olympics games as part of Nigerian staff

Luke Loucks has always wanted to be around basketball.

From his playing days as the starting point guard at Florida State (2008-12) to an international career that’s taken him to far-flung locales like Latvia, Cyprus and Belgium, basketball has provided Loucks with opportunities. It took him to stops in the NBA’s G League, and eventually it helped him become a member of the Golden State Warriors coaching staff.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do after playing,” Loucks said Friday. “I knew I still wanted to be around basketball. I assumed it would be in coaching but I was open to working in the front office or scouting. I just knew I wanted to be around the game. It’s exceeded all my expectations.”

Loucks has been a part of NCAA Tournament runs with the Seminoles and an NBA championship with the Warriors. Now basketball is taking him to the Olympic Games, as an assistant coach of the Nigerian men’s national basketball team.

“It was pretty random, to be honest,” said Loucks when asked how a kid from Clearwater would wind up coaching a team from Nigeria.

Warriors assistant and veteran NBA coach Mike Brown approached Loucks about joining a staff Brown was putting together for the Nigerian men’s national basketball team. At first Loucks declined the offer but eventually he was convinced to take on the new challenge.

“After thinking about it, they have a lot of talent and it could be a place that we could be pretty good and we could turn this into something pretty powerful,” said Loucks. “Over the last 18 months, we’ve scraped and clawed to put a roster together.

“You’re taking a country that has a rich tradition of basketball talent but organizationally they didn’t have what these other world powers had in terms of Spain, France and, of course, Team USA.”

Loucks said while organizations such as Team USA have 20 or 30 people working on the logistics of playing in the Olympics, Nigeria’s team has relied on a small group of people led by Brown.

“It’s a small team. We’re a tight-knit group,” said Loucks.

This is the third time the D’Tigers have qualified for the Summer Olympics after playing in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Preparations for the Tokyo Games began on June 20 with the team gathering in Oakland for a few weeks of training camp before traveling to Las Vegas for a series of exhibition games. It was under the bright lights of Vegas where Nigeria made its presence known, stunning Team USA 90-87 last Saturday night.

“We get to Vegas and everyone is a little anxious and nervous because we’re playing the best team in the world,” Loucks recalled. “And then we start playing and we’re like, ‘Shoot, this is pretty good.’ We knew we were athletic and could fly around, but this could be something special.

“Over the course of 40 minutes against Team USA, things just sort of clicked and came together.”

It was the first time a team from Africa had ever beaten the United States in basketball.

A few days after stunning the U.S., Nigeria beat fourth-ranked Argentina 94-71.

“That reaffirmed to me we could be pretty good,” he added.

No matter where Loucks’ career has taken him, he’s always leaned on the teachings of his former coach Leonard Hamilton.

“I learned a lot playing in Europe and I learned quite a good deal working with the Warriors staff but I always go back to the defensive intensity he demanded out of you,” said Loucks. “I was a slow-footed oversized point guard and I couldn’t slide my feet for anything, but he demanded this intensity: ‘If you’re going to play for me, you’re going to guard.’ It’s something I’ll always have wherever I coach.

“To me, that’s why Florida State is always so difficult to play because they bring a level of intensity — even if they’re not making shots or you have an off game on offense, you’re going to bring a level of defensive intensity that’s going to give you a chance.”

Loucks and the rest of the Nigerian team will leave Oakland for Tokyo on Tuesday, with the Opening Ceremonies set for Friday. On top of preparing for their opening game against Australia on Sunday, the team must contend with the challenges of a COVID crisis that’s gripping Tokyo.

“We have two tests before we leave and if you’re positive on either of those you have to stay where you’re at until you get two negative tests in a row,” Loucks explained. “Once you land in Tokyo, as soon as you get off the plane you have to test in their airport. If you’re positive, I don’t think they let you into the country.

“I know Japan is taking this seriously as they should, especially with how many thousands of athletes and staff that are flying in from around the world. They have their process in place to try and do their job and keep everyone as safe as possible.”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.