Hard Work and Desire Has Made Luca Federico the WPIAL’s Next D-1 Hoops Recruit

While they don’t produce anywhere near the amount of D-1 recruit that football does, WPIAL basketball is starting to pump out some D-1 basketball players.Names such as Brandin Cummings, Nelly Cummings, Adou Theiro and most recently, Meleek Thomas are just some of the names that have made the jump from Western Pennsylvania to big-time college hoops and the NBA. In two years, we’ll be adding another player to that list. Luca Federico is a 2028 6’6” shooting guard from Chartiers Valley High School that’s been a standout this summer in the AAU basketball circuit for Wildcat Select. If that last name sounds familiar, his dad, Gino, was a member of Jamie Dixon’s Pitt teams in the early 2000’s.Because of his performance this summer, Federico has caught the eye of D-1 coaches across the country. At this stage of his recruitment, Federico has received offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall and LaSalle while hearing from Marquette, Duquesne, Purdue, Notre Dame, Northwestern and South Carolina. “Honestly, it’s been a blessing and just a great feeling,” Federico tells PSN. “I knew that I had to go out there and compete against the best kids in the country and show everyone what I can do. I’m glad that college coaches have taken notice.” “I knew this was going to happen because I have full confidence in my abilities just to go out there and make plays. That’s what I’ve done in front of the top coaches in the country.” Federico has shown college coaches that he can compete against and excel against other top high school players across the country. He was quick to point out the strengths of his game and what has gotten him this attention.“My shot, I’ve shot the three ball very well,” said Federico. “I hit 23 3’s in Session 3 of Adidas (tournament). I’ve always played really good defense. I’ve been defending 1 thru 5 and my length has caused havoc on the defensive side for sure.” This personal success hasn’t happened because of Luca’s bloodlines. Instead it’s been the result of hard work and Federico’s desire to be great. “I’ve worked every day with my brother and my dad. We have unlimited gym access, so we go up there and shoot. There hasn’t been a day where I haven’t touched a basketball in the past 12 months.” Luca Federico6’6 2028 GuardChartiers Valley (PA)– Knock-down shooter– Improving play-maker– Length causes havoc defensively (2.3 steals/blocks per game)– Lots of room to grow 📈Early offer from LaSalle, more on the way…@3SSBCircuit pic.twitter.com/Z2zoaRPQ5D— Wildcat Select (@WildcatSelect) April 30, 2026 “We went all the way to the state semi’s, played basketball for 7 straight months during the school year and as soon as that ended, I picked right up with AAU. So, it’s been getting in the gym every night working on my shot. It’s a tough process but that’s what has to be done if you want to be great. My parents have told me just to keep my faith and God above all. Just to keep a level head throughout this process. I need to stay on the course and not get distracted by things that people may put in front of you.”” Last season, Federico was named a Class 5A All-State 2nd team player and was a huge part of Chartier Valley win their second consecutive WPIAL Championship.