Rising prospects meet rising program.
Miles and Wes Rubin, Simeon’s literal “twin towers,” are headed to Loyola.
The 6-9 twin brothers have committed to head coach Drew Valentine in what is a recruiting coup for a red-hot program making the move up to the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The distance, coaching staff and winning pedigree of Loyola won out over a growing list of suitors. But the fact the Rubin brothers could play their college basketball together –– and Loyola wanted them to play together –– was also paramount.
“It was definitely a big deal for us,” Wes said of both brothers being offered by the same school. “We have been playing together our whole lives. We are close off the court, but we have great chemistry playing together on it, so it was a big part of this decision process.”
Playing in front of family and friends was important, so the close proximity to Loyola was a big plus.
“It’s close to home so we are excited about our friends and family being there to see us play,” Wes said.
The coaching staff also impressed both brothers.
“The staff recruited us both very hard,” Miles said. “They understood us, understood what we were looking for and as players.”
Both Miles and Wes said the recruiting process was at times difficult, partly due to the close bond the brothers share and wanting to continue that at the next level. That’s why it was so important to be able to play together in college and what made recruiting a bit more stressful.
The Rubin brothers were waiting for a program that was as excited about them as they were about the program. The Loyola coaching staff shared those thoughts and won them over.
“We loved the coaching staff,” Wes said. “It’s the youngest staff in the country, so it’s not hard to connect with them.”
The rise of both Miles and Wesley Rubin, both in their development and as prospects, has been considerably noticeable over the past year. There is a lot to like. They’ve made vast improvements, both with their game and productivity over the past year. The big man tandem helped Simeon to 28 wins and Class 3A fourth-place finish a year ago as double-figure scorers.
While Miles has been a top 10 fixture this past year in the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s Class of 2023 rankings, Wes has followed and is now pushing his way towards top 10 status.
The two brothers complement one another so well as projected big men.
Miles is a long, active, athletic big who can run the floor and finish. He’s a hard-nosed, defensive-minded 5-man who brings so much versatility to the defensive end of the floor. Plus, his offensive game continues to grow.
Wesley has the potential to be a valuable 4-man with skill and versatility. He shows hints of shooting range out to the three-point line while being able to put it on the floor in small doses.
Both are still growing, developing physically and have enormous upside, which is exciting for any college program to see a year out from setting foot on campus.
Loyola has been on a meteoric rise over the past five years, first under Porter Moser and now continuing with Valentine.
“Their winning culture really mattered,” Wes said.
The Ramblers, who went to a Final Four in 2018, have averaged 25 wins a year over the past five seasons while in the Missouri Valley Conference. Now Loyola takes a big step up in joining the Atlantic 10 Conference this year.
“I feel like the move to that conference is good for us and the program,” Miles said. “It’s a better conference, better players, more competitive.”
