Brandon Rechsteiner, son of Big Poppa Pump, commits to Hokies
WOODSTOCK, Ga. (BVM) 鈥� Etowah High School rising senior basketball player Brandon Rechsteiner has athletic genes to say the least. His father, Scott, was an All-American wrestler at the University of Michigan in the 1980s as was his uncle Rick. His cousin, Bronson, was a standout fullback for Kennesaw State University before joining the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020. To say athletic prowess runs in the family would be an understatement and soon it will be Brandon鈥檚 turn to have a successful career at the collegiate level.
On July 15, Brandon his commitment to Virginia Tech. He chose the Hokies over other vaunted programs including Georgia Tech, Miami, Tennessee and Xavier.
鈥淚t feels good, I feel like I made the right choice,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淭hey checked all the boxes. When I was going through what matters to me everything was perfect. I trust that they have and I have a good relationship with the coaches up there. They鈥檝e done it with guys like me, same build, same type of players so everything just stuck out with them.鈥�
1000% Committed ! 馃
— Brandon Rechsteiner (@b_roc0)
Virginia Tech gets a star on the rise with Brandon. A three-star recruit, Brandon ranks as the No. 24 point guard and the No. 9 overall prospect in Georgia for the Class of 2023. His commitment is the first for the Hokies in the class.
鈥淚 see myself similar to [former Hokies guard] Storm Murphy or [current guard] Sean Pedulla coming in, a shotmaker, passer, facilitator who just plays hard and runs the team,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淚t feels good [being first] because I鈥檓 the point guard and usually they鈥檙e the leader so I鈥檓 going in and trying to build a big class. They gave me some guys that they鈥檙e looking at and some dudes I think would help so I鈥檓 definitely going to be a big recruiter.鈥�
While Brandon hasn鈥檛 yet had the opportunity to show his skills to a national audience, he shouldn鈥檛 be too shy of the spotlight as being in front of the camera is something the Rechstenier family is used to. Fans may know Brandon鈥檚 dad and uncle, Scott and Rick, as the fearful Steiner Brothers of pro wrestling fame. The pair, following their time at Michigan when Scott graduated in 1986 two years after his older brother, would join the American Wrestling Association where they would become famous.
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The Steiner Brother tag team would wrestle a few years in the AWA before jumping to the biggest wrestling company-the World Wrestling Federation later rebranded as World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. The bros debuted in January 1993, repping their Michigan letterman jackets and classic wrestling attire like headgear and singlets.聽
The pair would wrestle in the company for a while, even winning the WWE Tag Team Championship twice.聽
While the two would split in storylines and bounce between World Championship Wrestling and WWE, with Scott famously rebranding himself as Big Poppa Pump in the early 2000s, they would always be remembered as one of the better tag teams of the era. This recognition helped the brothers earn a spot into the WWE Hall of Fame in April.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been really cool. I got to see how everything works and the reality of everything,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淗e instilled good traits like hard work and how to deal with certain stuff so it was really cool but I don鈥檛 really know anything different.鈥�
The wrestling heritage even rubbed off on Bronson, who after failing to make it in the NFL joined WWE鈥檚 training program, NXT. There Bronson would take up the persona Bron Brekker and was named the in January.聽
鈥淭hey instilled a good work ethic in me just watching them,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淚 remember in fifth grade when my cousin was a senior in high school he would take me where he worked out called Fear & Performance so he instilled a good work ethic in me, my dad did that for me. It also just keeps you humble. They went to the highest level. Bronson was in the NFL, now he鈥檚 in the WWE. My dad was All-American and WWE and my uncle was as well. I have to live up to it, they went as far as they could go really.鈥�
. is your NEW NXT Champion!
— WWE (@WWE)
At first, Brandon鈥檚 family full of wrestlers and tough guys were a bit surprised to hear that the athlete, who was also a good football player, would focus on basketball after ninth grade.
鈥淢y cousin wanted me to be a football player and so did my dad, they didn鈥檛 really care but they didn鈥檛 want to see me give it up,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淲hen I told my dad I was going to give it up he was kind of upset but he wanted what鈥檚 best for me. My cousin was mad because he told everyone I was going to be next up, kind of like how he was.鈥�
The decision has paid off, however.
Though Brandon does not share the same sport as his bloodline, that doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檚 not excellent in his own right. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound point guard put up a solid showing last season for the Etowah Eagles, averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 41.4% from beyond the 3-point line. This helped the Eagles to a 16-11 record though they would fall in the regional tournament and the first round of the Georgia High School Association 7A playoffs.
鈥淲ith the success, it鈥檚 been really good,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淢y dad is happy for me and my cousin called me the other day saying how proud he was and stuff. They didn鈥檛 understand why I was doing it but I was doing what鈥檚 best for me.鈥�
Thanks to his strong junior campaign and solid showings during the travel team schedule with the Atlanta All-Stars, Brandon quickly garnered more recruiting attention and received offers through June and July from the likes of Clemson, LSU, Northwestern and Notre Dame in addition to his final five. Ultimately, it was the Hokies who won out.
鈥淎s far as sports, [my dad] doesn鈥檛 push me or persuade me in any way. He was kind of telling me to go do what’s best for you and telling me certain stuff to look for and what he鈥檚 looking for,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淗e was just telling me why he chose his school and what I should look for but he didn鈥檛 care where I went. He was going to support me no matter what.鈥�
While not focusing too much on the future, rather preparing for his final season at Etowah, Brandon admits he has thought about his time in Blacksburg and the NIL opportunities his name and family鈥檚 reputation could provide him in the future.
鈥淥bviously it鈥檚 something I鈥檓 working on, I鈥檝e talked to my dad about it and my cousin about it,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no rush. I鈥檓 going to keep the main thing the main thing right now. I’m really focused on basketball, but it would be great if it happens.鈥�
Once he arrives on campus at Virginia Tech expect Brandon to give his 141鈪�% (like his dad) for the Hokies and prove that there is no jump shot finer than Rechsteiner鈥檚.
鈥淚鈥檓 a leader, someone that鈥檚 going to do the right thing,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to play hard every single play, make the right play. [They鈥檙e getting] a hard worker. I鈥檓 going to work to become the best player I can.鈥�
