Burnet’s Luke Kiser to play basketball at UT-Dallas
Burnet High School senior guard Luke Kiser signs his National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at the University of Texas at Dallas. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
Burnet High School senior Luke Kiser signed his National Letter of Intent on Thursday, April 1, to play college basketball at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Kiser, who plays guard, is following in the footsteps of older brother Drew, who played for two years at UT-Dallas and graduated in three years.
“I have a relationship with a bunch of people already. It’s a special place,” Luke Kiser said of his future school. “It was a special place for my brother. It’ll be an equally special place for myself.”
By playing sports in college, Kiser is keeping up a family tradition that started when his dad, Roy Kiser, played basketball for Hardin-Simmons University and oldest brother Derek played quarterback for Tarleton State University.
“Understanding all the things that have to happen in order to have the opportunity to play after high school we realize how blessed we are,” said Roy Kiser, who is the Burnet High School boys basketball coach. “It has been a joy to watch all of them compete at the high school and college levels. More importantly, my wife (Gina Kiser) and I are proud of the hard work they have all put into their education and the humility they have all shown throughout their careers.”
Both Luke and his father noted that him having two older brothers helped develop his competitive nature.
“His older brothers beat on him when he was little,” Roy Kiser said with a grin.
“Everything is built on hard work, and my brothers definitely influenced me in that and showed me how to work and work hard and get to where I want to be,” Luke said. “I’m blessed they showed me.”
Kiser plans to major in healthcare administration to either be a physician’s assistant or enter the business side of healthcare.
Roy noted no one gets to a National Letter of Intent signing day without others who helped along the way and offered his thanks to Luke’s select team basketball coaches and trainers as well as his teammates, friends, and fans.
Luke said he has loved growing up in Burnet and being a Bulldog.
“It’s been a blessing,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute. This community has always been supportive of everything. It’s meant a lot.”