Prime Time: Timpview’s Rueckert chooses to play hoops at BYU
-
- Timpview junior Dean Rueckert dunks the ball during the 5A semifinal game against Olympus at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.
-
- Timpview junior Dean Rueckert drives to the basket during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
-
- Timpview’ Dean Rueckert (1) takes a jump shot against Alta in a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
Israel Ingle has known Dean Rueckert since the newest BYU men’s basketball commit was in the fifth grade. Ingle coached Rueckert at Timpview for the past three seasons.
Ingle said he remembers when the 6-foot-8 swingman went from a really good player to prime time.
“I’ve always known Dean was special,” Ingle said. “But where he really took off was when we were at Section 7 a couple of years ago. We were playing against a team with LaBron James’s son, Bryce. It was a big deal. There were a lot of cameras there and a lot of college coaches. We just kind of unleashed Dean and he scored 46 points, just demolished the other team.
“All of those cameras were there to watch Bryce James but Dean put on a show. I’d seen him do that before but he did it in front of everyone. He had like seven dunks and seven threes. He was just phenomenal.”
On Monday evening, Rueckert made his college commitment on YouTube, courtesy of CBS Sports and 24/7 Sports. Surrounded by family and friends, including his mother Tiffany, his father Chris and his sister Brielle (a volleyball player at Weber State), Rueckert picked the Cougars over Clemson, Stanford, Utah and Washington.
“After a lot of thought and prayers, I have decided to stay home and go to BYU,” he said, placing a Cougar hat on his head. “BYU is a special place that will help me not only in basketball but in life. Kevin Young and the rest of the coaching staff, they made feel wanted and valued. I’m super excited to get there and do my thing.”
Rueckert’s “thing” is shooting the ball and scoring points. He’s been a three-year starter at Timpview, totaling 1,144 points and averaging 16.6 points per game. As a junior, Rueckert put up 18.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while making 54% of his shots, 39% from the 3-point line.
On 24/7 Sports, Rueckert is listed as a four-star recruit, the No. 4-ranked player in Utah and No. 68 nationally.
Rueckert made his visit to the BYU campus July 28 and 29.
“He’s a phenomenal player but he’s just the best kid in the world,” Ingle said. “I love Dean. I feel blessed that I’ve gotten to coach him for a few years. He’s a perfectionist and he’s really smart. He and I could talk a little differently than most other players. He’d tell me, ‘Coach, you can get on us more.’ The questions he’d ask are different than other kids would ask. He just wanted to be so perfect on offense and defense. He wanted our coaching staff to hold him accountable on everything. It’s really a great thing when your best player wants to be held accountable.”
Ingle said he told his players if they ever wanted to get up early and go to the gym, he’d make sure they could get in.
“A lot of times, Dean was at the gym at 5:30 in the morning until school started,” Ingle said. “Nobody knew he was doing that.”
Ingle said Rueckert is a good fit for BYU’s system.
“They want to spread the floor,” Ingle said. “Dean can shoot threes but he has range, even deeper than NBA range. So with Dean they can spread the floor and attack. He can drive and get to the rim as well. He can score in multiple ways whether he’s contested or off the dribble.
“One of his underrated skills is his defensive flexibility. He can defend multiple positions. You can switch him on a ball screen. There are no mismatches when Dean is guarding somebody. He’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Rueckert is heading into his senior year at Timpview. Ingle took the Lone Peak boys basketball coaching job this spring, so Rueckert will be coached by former Utah Valley assistant Chris Kitchen.
Ingle said he’s gotten dozens of phone calls from big-time college coaches gaging Rueckert’s interest.
“I ran into Dean and I was like, “Hey, just checking in because I’m hearing from all these coaches” and Dean told me he was pretty far down the road in his decision. He’s ready. He’ll work and do whatever he needs to do.”
Rueckert plans on enrolling at BYU next spring to get a head start on his college basketball career.
“I want to say I’m excited to play in front of the best fan base in the world,” Rueckert said. “I’m a hard worker and I’m someone wants to win. I’m also someone who cares about people and I want to be part of the community. I believe in what BYU stands for and I’m excited to represent them.”
