Former first team all-state and Indiana all-star Robbie Hummel continues to be involved in the game he loves. Hummel played alongside Purdue teammate Scott Martin (transferred to Notre Dame after one season) for Valparaiso High School in northwest Indiana. Both 6’8” forwards were selected as 1st team all-state players and were ranked in the top 60 nationally. As seniors the team was ranked #1 in the state and lost to eventual state champion East Chicago Central in the regional title game. That EC team featured future Purdue teammate E’Twaun Moore who is now in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans. Robbie was listed by Rivals as a 4-star recruit and the #21 power forward in the nation.
Robbie Hummel attended Purdue University experiencing immediate success earning being selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2008. The accolades were just getting started for this forward at Purdue including: 3x First Team All-Big Ten, 2nd Team NABC All-American, 2x AP Honorable Mention All-American, Senior CLASS Award. He broke the freshman record at Purdue and led the Big Ten with a 44.7% three-point field goal percentage. Prior to his senior season, Robbie was selected as one of fifty in the nation as a John R. Wooden candidate alongside teammate E’Twaun Moore.
On February 24th, Hummel injured his right knee at Minnesota slipping on the court. The diagnosis was not good a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and missed the rest of the season. The injury-bug didn’t stop there as he tore the same ACL during a practice in October his senior season. He would return to Purdue as a 5th year redshirt senior.
On June 28, 2012, Hummel was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 58th overall pick in the NBA draft. He would go on to play professionally for several European teams and on October 4 2017 announced he would be retiring from the game of basketball.
Although he “retired” the story would not end there for Mr. Hummel. He may have thought his playing days were over but a unique situation entered the picture. Hummel would represent the United State at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. This is where things get even more interesting in the storied tale of Robbie Hummel. He would be named tournament MVP after leading Team USA to an undefeated run and capture the Gold Medal. This fantastic play led to one of the most prestigious awards a basketball player can dream of earning him 2019 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. This award has been given to such legends as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Lebron James. “It’s incredibly humbling,” Hummel said of the honor. “I think when you look at the names that are on that list, it’s like, ‘Man, I’m not sure that I really belong almost.’ You are looking at guys like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and the Dream Team. It’s pretty cool. I’m very honored to have won this award. It is a product of a lot of hard work that our 3x3 team put in and the success that we had. I’m very thankful I got to play with a group of guys that just wanted to win.”
To keep the basketball juices flowing, you can now find Robbie Hummel doing commentary as an analyst for the Big Ten Network and ESPN. He had visions of joining the broadcasting ranks for quite some time. In the summer of 2015, Hummel spent a weekend at the National Basketball Players Association's Sportscaster U experience at Syracuse University. He had previously done some on-air work with CBS and XM Radio while accepting the Lowes Senior C.L.A.S.S. Award as a senior.
"I've been so fortunate to have incredible teammates, coaches and basketball organizations in my life that go back to Valparaiso High School, and for that I am so thankful," Hummel wrote. "It's been a hell of a ride, and I look forward to continuing that watching a sport I've loved since I was a kid, college basketball."