For those who missed it this week, we unveiled the newest Hot Board. It takes into account mutual interest between both IU and the prospect and where Indiana is putting in the most time at the current moment.
Hot Board: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2022-hot-board-late-spring
Indiana received its first bit of 'negative' news in what seems like the last few months with the departure of Jerome Hunter on Thursday. There had been buzz about another potential departure for quite some time and finally, that happened.
Hunter came into his Indiana career along with a five-man class including Romeo Langford, Damezi Anderson, Jake Forrester and Rob Phinisee. Phinisee now remains as the only player to still be at IU from Archie Miller's first class.
This now opens up a scholarship spot for Indiana for this upcoming season.
The two names that IU has been tied to in the transfer portal are EJ Onu, an NAIA All-American, and a new name we brought to your attention earlier this week in USF transfer Michael Durr. Onu averaged 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game last season and also shot 40 percent from three. He will be going through the NBA pre-draft process and is looking to get a few workouts before officially deciding so this is not one that will work itself out quickly.
As for Durr, this is one to keep an eye on closely moving forward. The 7-foot center averaged 8.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last year for USF. His 7.9 rebounds per game led to a rebound rate of 16.8 percent which was second in the American Athletic Conference. He also ranked second in the conference in offensive rebound rate (11.9) and third in defensive rebound rate (22.9). He also averaged 2.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Durr told TheHoosier that he has a close relationship with IU assistant coach Yasir Rosemond, both being from the Atlanta area. IU lacks depth in the frontcourt and Durr would bring physical play, toughness and the ability to rebound the basketball.
According to a few sources, IU is in a good spot here if it continues to push.
Rivals national analyst and USF insider Russ Wood described his game: "Durr scores mostly around the rim, has good touch and can make jump hooks over either shoulder. Effective area rebounder at both ends of the court, good defender, good mobility. Average vertical athleticism."
More on Durr: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/indiana-reaches-out-to-transfer-center-michael-durr
As for the 2022 class, IU got news this week that it would receive an official visit from Wilbraham and Monson Academy (MA) forward Kyle Filipowski in mid-June, his head coach Mike Mannix confirmed with TheHoosier. Up to this point, he has three official visits scheduled: Syracuse, Ohio State and IU. He also has an unofficial scheduled to UConn. UCLA and Iowa are involved and both have a chance to land a visit from Filipowski.
"What I like to do is play the matchup game with him," Mannix said of Filipowski's game. "If they put a smaller guy on him, he's not afraid to go into the post. If they put a bigger guy on him, that's when we put him in the middle of the floor... top of the key, half court circle, he's able to break guys down. He runs the floor and can push the ball down the floor. He can fit in a lot of different places."
He talks about a game earlier this year when Filipowski had 10 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists - showcasing his versatility.
Mike Woodson compared Filipowski to two players in his New York Knicks days when he spoke to Filipowski on a Zoom call that brought the IU offer; Steve Novak and Julius Randle. Coach Mannix sees that and also notes another player, a former player he used to coach and is now in the NBA.
"Coach (Woodson) referenced the way Novak shot the ball, and that's a pretty good comparison. He (Kyle) looks like a pure shooter. Kyle at that height, but still a pure shooter... Overall, I like that combo comparison."
"Because of how recent it was... his comparison to Wenyen Garbriel. Wenyen played here for two years. They are similar size. Both guys rebounding the ball a ton. Wenyen could put it on the floor, I would say Kyle is just more versatile. Puts it on the floor with more ease and shoots it pretty similar. That's the comparison that a lot of people make. I would say Kyle's game is more perimeter oriented than Wenyen's. What Wenyen did here was set a pretty high bar for work ethic and being the best player. It's nice to see that Kyle meets that, his work ethic is phenomenal."
More on Filipowski: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/rivals150-forward-kyle-filipowski-schedules-indiana-official-visit
Two newcomers Tamar Bates and Miller Kopp joined Indiana Sports Beat last night. Bates will officially be in Bloomington on June 5th to move in while Kopp will be arriving on June 12th.
Bates on why he chose IU: "We just kinda knew exactly what to look for, grateful for a second chance. After coming in contact with Coach Hunter, Coach Woodson and Coach Ya, they checked all of those boxes we were looking for. Coaches we could trust, and how they were concerned about my personal development along with my skill development. The opporntuty to compete for significant minutes and come in play right away my freshman year. A team that has a potential to compete for a championship. Players on the team that value defense as much if not more (than offense)."
Kopp on why he chose IU: "This was a basketball decision for me. I want to win and win on the biggest stage... We got right down to the X's and O's and how he (Woodson) wants to play and how he played in New York and loved the stuff he showed and how I'd fit in. Really how I'd grow as a player... I want to be out of my comfort zone and pushed and that's when I'm at my best and that part was really intriguing too.
"Going into the portal, I knew one thing. I wasn't going back to the Big 10... My high school coach texted me and said Indiana reached out. I told him to tell them 'thanks but not to worry about it.' My parents said 'what's the worst that could happen'. I set up a zoom with them and then Coach Woodson's energy, his plan for the university and me. How straightforward he was. How we could both get Indiana back to the top and where it belongs. Taking back what it means to be an Indiana basketball player. Those things coupled with a few things... it was super exciting.
We will have more in the coming days from both Bates and Kopp.
As for the 2021 class, both Tamar Bates and Logan Duncomb made jumps in the updated Rivals150 class of 2021 rankings. Bates shot up 27 spots to No. 30 overall and Duncomb moved up 4 spots to No. 68 overall. Bates was one of the biggest risers in the class.
More on IU's 2021 class: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-weeks-indiana-s-2021-class
Hot Board: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2022-hot-board-late-spring
Indiana received its first bit of 'negative' news in what seems like the last few months with the departure of Jerome Hunter on Thursday. There had been buzz about another potential departure for quite some time and finally, that happened.
Hunter came into his Indiana career along with a five-man class including Romeo Langford, Damezi Anderson, Jake Forrester and Rob Phinisee. Phinisee now remains as the only player to still be at IU from Archie Miller's first class.
This now opens up a scholarship spot for Indiana for this upcoming season.
The two names that IU has been tied to in the transfer portal are EJ Onu, an NAIA All-American, and a new name we brought to your attention earlier this week in USF transfer Michael Durr. Onu averaged 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game last season and also shot 40 percent from three. He will be going through the NBA pre-draft process and is looking to get a few workouts before officially deciding so this is not one that will work itself out quickly.
As for Durr, this is one to keep an eye on closely moving forward. The 7-foot center averaged 8.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last year for USF. His 7.9 rebounds per game led to a rebound rate of 16.8 percent which was second in the American Athletic Conference. He also ranked second in the conference in offensive rebound rate (11.9) and third in defensive rebound rate (22.9). He also averaged 2.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Durr told TheHoosier that he has a close relationship with IU assistant coach Yasir Rosemond, both being from the Atlanta area. IU lacks depth in the frontcourt and Durr would bring physical play, toughness and the ability to rebound the basketball.
According to a few sources, IU is in a good spot here if it continues to push.
Rivals national analyst and USF insider Russ Wood described his game: "Durr scores mostly around the rim, has good touch and can make jump hooks over either shoulder. Effective area rebounder at both ends of the court, good defender, good mobility. Average vertical athleticism."
More on Durr: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/indiana-reaches-out-to-transfer-center-michael-durr
As for the 2022 class, IU got news this week that it would receive an official visit from Wilbraham and Monson Academy (MA) forward Kyle Filipowski in mid-June, his head coach Mike Mannix confirmed with TheHoosier. Up to this point, he has three official visits scheduled: Syracuse, Ohio State and IU. He also has an unofficial scheduled to UConn. UCLA and Iowa are involved and both have a chance to land a visit from Filipowski.
"What I like to do is play the matchup game with him," Mannix said of Filipowski's game. "If they put a smaller guy on him, he's not afraid to go into the post. If they put a bigger guy on him, that's when we put him in the middle of the floor... top of the key, half court circle, he's able to break guys down. He runs the floor and can push the ball down the floor. He can fit in a lot of different places."
He talks about a game earlier this year when Filipowski had 10 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists - showcasing his versatility.
Mike Woodson compared Filipowski to two players in his New York Knicks days when he spoke to Filipowski on a Zoom call that brought the IU offer; Steve Novak and Julius Randle. Coach Mannix sees that and also notes another player, a former player he used to coach and is now in the NBA.
"Coach (Woodson) referenced the way Novak shot the ball, and that's a pretty good comparison. He (Kyle) looks like a pure shooter. Kyle at that height, but still a pure shooter... Overall, I like that combo comparison."
"Because of how recent it was... his comparison to Wenyen Garbriel. Wenyen played here for two years. They are similar size. Both guys rebounding the ball a ton. Wenyen could put it on the floor, I would say Kyle is just more versatile. Puts it on the floor with more ease and shoots it pretty similar. That's the comparison that a lot of people make. I would say Kyle's game is more perimeter oriented than Wenyen's. What Wenyen did here was set a pretty high bar for work ethic and being the best player. It's nice to see that Kyle meets that, his work ethic is phenomenal."
More on Filipowski: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/rivals150-forward-kyle-filipowski-schedules-indiana-official-visit
Two newcomers Tamar Bates and Miller Kopp joined Indiana Sports Beat last night. Bates will officially be in Bloomington on June 5th to move in while Kopp will be arriving on June 12th.
Bates on why he chose IU: "We just kinda knew exactly what to look for, grateful for a second chance. After coming in contact with Coach Hunter, Coach Woodson and Coach Ya, they checked all of those boxes we were looking for. Coaches we could trust, and how they were concerned about my personal development along with my skill development. The opporntuty to compete for significant minutes and come in play right away my freshman year. A team that has a potential to compete for a championship. Players on the team that value defense as much if not more (than offense)."
Kopp on why he chose IU: "This was a basketball decision for me. I want to win and win on the biggest stage... We got right down to the X's and O's and how he (Woodson) wants to play and how he played in New York and loved the stuff he showed and how I'd fit in. Really how I'd grow as a player... I want to be out of my comfort zone and pushed and that's when I'm at my best and that part was really intriguing too.
"Going into the portal, I knew one thing. I wasn't going back to the Big 10... My high school coach texted me and said Indiana reached out. I told him to tell them 'thanks but not to worry about it.' My parents said 'what's the worst that could happen'. I set up a zoom with them and then Coach Woodson's energy, his plan for the university and me. How straightforward he was. How we could both get Indiana back to the top and where it belongs. Taking back what it means to be an Indiana basketball player. Those things coupled with a few things... it was super exciting.
We will have more in the coming days from both Bates and Kopp.
As for the 2021 class, both Tamar Bates and Logan Duncomb made jumps in the updated Rivals150 class of 2021 rankings. Bates shot up 27 spots to No. 30 overall and Duncomb moved up 4 spots to No. 68 overall. Bates was one of the biggest risers in the class.
More on IU's 2021 class: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-weeks-indiana-s-2021-class
