Dean Rueckert previews summer, talks recruitment
By JAMES MADDEN & SAM LANCE
MESA, AZ — Dean Rueckert is a 6-foot-7, 185-pound four-star forward in the class of 2026 and just finished his junior season at Timpview High School in Provo. Rueckert will spend his summer playing for the Utah Prospects, who are in their first year in the EYBL circuit.
At the first session of the year, Rueckert averaged 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game across three contests. In the program’s first session as a part of the EYBL circuit, the Prospects finished 2-1. Rueckert’s best game of the weekend came in the third and final game, where he scored 18 points on 4-of-8 shooting from deep. He also collected four rebounds in a loss to Team Takeover.
“I think my physicality is best my best trait, but I need to improve my on-ball defense and lateral quickness and make more big plays on defense,” Rueckert told ZAGSBLOG.
The Rueckert family has a history of athletic prowess, with Dean’s father Chris Rueckert playing lacrosse at BYU and his sister, Brielle Rueckert, currently playing Division I volleyball at Weber State.
Over the course of the high school season, several schools visited Timpview to see Rueckert, including BYU, Louisville and Stanford. Rueckert has taken one official visit to Washington and two unofficial visits to BYU and Utah. He’ll be looking to take more visits this summer.
Rueckert shared an update on his recruitment and the coaching staffs he’s been in contact with:
BYU: “I’ve talked to a few of the coaches. I’ve talked to Kevin Young and Chris Burgess a lot. They’ll have a big year coming next year, and I’m excited to watch.”
Washington: “I talk to (Danny Sprinkle) and the assistant. I like where their program is headed. They have a bright future I think. It would be a cool school to go to.”
Utah: “Utah is cool. They have a new coach now, I haven’t talked to the new coach a lot. But I still like their program.”
California: “They also have a bright future for their program in the ACC. So I’ll be watching that.”
Rueckert said he talks to assistant coach Ronnie Hamilton from Louisville and assistant coach Derrick Wrobel from Stanford.
There is no timetable or target date for Rueckert’s recruitment. He’s still wide open and hearing from schools. He’ll let it all play out over the next several months. But what is Rueckert looking for in a program?
“A place that wants me and values me and will help me get to the next level,” Rueckert said.
Aside from his talent on the floor, Rueckert spends afternoons on the golf course. He can also juggle. The athletic forward is currently ranked No. 45 in the class of 2026 by 247Sports.
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