We Are United forward Juok Riak has already committed to Drury University ahead of a big prep season.

A 6’8 forward out of Madison La Follette high school in Madison, Wisconsin, Juok Riak is set to be a force for Rob Yanders’ We Are United prep squad. What’s more, he has also committed to playing next year right here in Springfield for Drury University.

Juok knew that coming to The Basketball Movement, home of We Are United, would not necessarily be an easy route. Nevertheless, he eagerly accepted the challenge.

“I was told that it’d be hard by former (We Are United) players,” Riak says. “I also knew that Rob (Yanders) gets it done. That’s why I wanted to come here.”

Asked what Yanders has already done to prepare him for the next level, Juok responded like a player that had already been through quite the gauntlet, though we are just scratching the surface of the 2022-23 We Are United season.

“Man… we are doing college work,” Riak says. “It is like being in college already. Rob - he’s been there. Everything he puts us through is work to get us ready.”

While Juok experiences the blood, sweat, and tears that go into being a Robert Yanders certified player, he can hopefully rest easy knowing that Yanders is impressed by what he has seen so far.

“He is fun to coach,” Yanders says of Riak. “He is a good kid with an amazing personality to go with his impressive game.”

That game has already landed Juok some college offers - one of which he accepted right here in Southwest, Missouri, despite being brand new to the area.

“He is an intelligent player… can pass and do it all,” Yanders says. “He will do great for Drury, and we will get many chances to watch him succeed.”

An athletic six-foot-eight, Juok Riak can immediately be recognized as a potential force on the hardwood. Add existing film and the well-known ability of Rob Yanders to develop players, and the coaching staff at Drury University recognized that they needed to try their hand at an offer. It paid off.

“Coach Foster and Coach Carr believed in me,” Riak says. “We haven’t even played a game yet, and they believe in me so much. They are telling me how good I can be working with Rob. With coaches that have that belief in me, why waste time in committing there?”

Juok will bring size and a true interior presence to his new squad. In addition, he is an excellent rebounder and has a high basketball IQ that allows him to make the right plays on the floor. “I am a hard worker,” Riak says. “I’m unselfish and push teammates to be better on and off the court.”

Riak says he is currently focusing on stretching the floor and improving upon all the facets of the game he is good at already. “I’m now trying to be great at things,” he says. “I am continuing to learn the game and how to always play the right way - that’s the most important thing.”

We Are United is on the road this weekend, and Drury Panther fans should definitely follow along as the highlights start to roll in. Next season, Juok will join Logan Applegate at Drury, another We Are United alumni. Retaining talent in the area allows us to keep a close eye on our guys and continue to work with them. Riak has professional aspirations as well as the motor and tools to achieve them. Don’t blink.