February 12, 2025
Sports

Boys Basketball: Lemont's Nate Ferguson commits to Drake

Versatile senior chose Missouri Valley school among a host of mid-major offers

By Joshua Welge

Lemont's Jerry Radomski (left), Nate Ferguson and Nick Podgorak watch a DeKalb player get to the hoop for a layup on Dec. 29 during play at DeKalb's Chuck Dayton tournament. The Indians lost that game but went 2-2 at the tournament.

Nate Ferguson wanted a college that felt like home.

He found it at Drake.

Ferguson, a 6-foot-7 Lemont senior, has two cousins at Drake. His dad’s sister also went to the school in Des Moines, Iowa, so he knew the college.

"It was a good situation," Ferguson said. "I went for the place that felt most like home. The way they act with one another, the way they act with their players, there were a lot of good things. It felt like a good spot for me."

Ferguson, one of the rising prospects in Illinois' senior class, made his decision this week. He made his verbal commitment to Drake, joining first-year coach Darien DeVries at the Missouri Valley Conference school.

Ferguson chose Drake among a host of mid-major offers including Southern Illinois, Milwaukee, Winthrop, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Toledo.

He was offered by Drake April 29, and made an unofficial visit in June. DeVries, a long-time assistant at Creighton, was a big selling point.

"I think they will take it up a notch in the Valley," said Ferguson, who joined Bolingbrook senior guard Joseph Yesufu in committing to Drake this week. "When I made my visit coach put out a presentation of, if I was going to come there this is where I could come in and help right away. He showed me videos of players that he has coaches that compare to me."

Ferguson, who averaged 15.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while leading his team in blocked shots as a junior at Lemont, said he first realized as a sophomore that he could have a future at the next level.

He continued to open eyes this spring while playing AAU with the Chicago Lockdown. He got an invite to play this summer at Loyola.

"He is a quiet, unassuming kid," Lemont coach Rick Runaas said. "Coming into the process he maybe needed a little time to step back and realize that all of this was happening to him. He's worked hard to get to where he's at. He didn't take anything for granted, never thought he was too big for the process."

Ferguson, a versatile player for his size, isn't Runaas' first Division I recruit. P.J. Pipes plays at UW-Green Bay.

But Runaas does believe he could end up being the best player he's coached.

"Nate is versatile, obviously, that's what a lot of coaches like about him," Runaas said. "At his size he can handle the ball, face up to the basket, play on the perimeter and with his athleticism he is a very dangerous weapon around the rim. He can do a little bit of everything. He moves well laterally and he's strong enough and long enough to defend the post. I can see him getting better and better there."

Ferguson, who will be Runaas' lone returning starter, is pleased to have things firmed up before the season rolls around.

"That was my whole reason to make my decision now," Ferguson said. "I know where I am going now and it will be great. I can focus on my last year and have fun. It's a very big relief."