Hummel recovered, happy at home

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Robbie Hummel has learned to appreciate good health and the comforts of home.

Recent experiences, such as playing with an aching back for much of last season and representing the United States in international competition over the summer, have broadened his perspective.

The Purdue forward was part of the U.S. team at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, in July. The vitriol of the fans in the stands and their disdain for Americans stunned the 20-year-old from Valparaiso, Ind.

Hostile environments? Politically charged Serbia made Wisconsin’s Kohl Center and Michigan State’s Breslin Center look like fun houses.

“At the Breslin Center they don’t like you, but they certainly don’t hate you, and they certainly don’t want to kill you,” Hummel said. “Over in Serbia that might not have been the case.”

Hummel said about 14,000 fans packed the main arena for the U.S.’s second-round game against Serbia. The persistent whistling, the ultimate sign of disrespect in Europe, rang in the ears of the U.S. team. The taunts were constant throughout the game, which the U.S. won 68-66.

Hummel carried the Boilers to their first Big Ten tournament title in 2009.

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

“They were yelling at us, they were flipping us off,” Hummel said. “They said all sorts of crazy things.”

The U.S. lost to Russia in the Games’ semifinals and earned the bronze medal with a win over Israel. The Serbians took the gold but that didn’t stop the denizens from getting in one last good verbal blast of the Americans as they took the medal stand.

“When they announced the United States, I’ve never been booed like that,” Hummel said. “We had 5-year-old kids screaming at us, pointing at us. It was a wild experience.”

Hummel seems to feed off such adversity. The junior said he’s fully recovered from a fractured vertebra that caused him to miss three games last season and play hurt down the stretch. Though fighting pain and wearing a brace to stabilize his back, he led the Boilermakers to the Big Ten tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16.

With Hummel healthy and Purdue returning all elements of that team, the expectations this season are even greater. The starting lineup features Hummel, junior center JaJuan Johnson, junior guard E’Twaun Moore, senior guard Chris Kramer and sophomore point guard Lewis Jackson.

Still, the veteran Boilers will have to battle through a Big Ten gauntlet: Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State join Purdue in the preseason top 15. Illinois and Minnesota aren’t far behind.

“We know what we need to do,” Hummel said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have been doing it for three and four years now. That experience will help us deal with the expectations that come with this season.”

The stability of Hummel’s back could be the key to success. Through a series of intense core strengthening exercises, he has been able to avoid surgery and has shed the brace. The peace of mind of having a sound body shouldn’t be underestimated, Hummel said.

“You don’t really realize what your back does for you until it’s hurting,” he said. “Every movement you make, it’s involved. It’s a great feeling to know my back isn’t going to be a problem this year. It’s felt very good during this period of practice time. I’m looking forward to the beginning of the season.”

Johnson has seen Hummel going full tilt at practices, setting screens and diving after loose balls. He sees no lasting effects from the injury. The nation will know the same when the Boilers open the season Nov. 13 against Cal State Northridge, Johnson said.

“He’s definitely ready to play,” he said. “His back is fully healed. I think once we get out there on the court, people will see that he’s fine.”

Hummel, fittingly, is the Boilermakers’ backbone. A gym rat, he has a diverse game prefaced on the ability to shoot accurately from long range, rebound and peel off the perfect pass. He averaged 12.5 points, a team-best 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists as a sophomore. The 6-foot-8 swingman shot 38.6 percent from 3-point territory and was named MVP of the 2009 Big Ten tournament.

As a youngster in Indiana and a fan of the Chicago Bulls, he studied the skills of Michael Jordan with wonder. Later, he went to school on the shooting technique of Bryce Drew, who starred at Valparaiso University. NBA standouts Mike Dunleavy and Matt Harpring are other players Hummel said he would like to emulate.

“I guess that’s a combination of very different people,” Hummel said with a shrug.

What separates Hummel from many is his team-first approach. When he was told last week that Johnson was left off the All-Big Ten preseason team, Hummel was visibly upset, saying, “How could a guy be All-Big Ten at the end of last season and then not be recognized at the beginning of this season? That’s just not right.”

Purdue coach Matt Painter said Hummel’s selfless approach makes him a special player.

(AP Photo/Tony Ding)

Coach Matt Painter said Hummel’s teammates know they can count on his support. They respected him long before he gutted out last year’s back problems. The way he goes about his business and his will have established him as a leader from the time he set foot on campus.

“He is a guy people look up to because of the way he plays the game,” Painter said. “He has a selfless demeanor. He really wants Purdue to win and he’s proven that. He’ll do anything to try to help us win, whether that’s taking fewer shots, rebounding, defending, doing a lot of little things. Rob’s proven himself.”

The highly hyped Boilermakers now hope to embark on a Final Four trek similar to the one rival Michigan State took last season. The Spartans captured the affection of their home state and the attention of the nation by storming to the national semifinals in Detroit, just an hour-and-a-half from their East Lansing campus.

With this year’s Final Four set for Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Hummel and the Boilers would like to carry their backers and a bandwagon 65 miles up Interstate 65 from West Lafayette.

Back home again in Indiana, indeed.