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Most underrated IU player

Buckner had exceptionally quick hands and Wilkerson had the same, with length and quickness. He played guard with Buckner and jumped center, too. Don't recall his vertical, but it was one of the highest ever at IU.
I recall being in the stands as a Student for a game against Northwestern. At the beginning of the game, \Wilkerson and Buckner just destroyed their Guards. I think it took them 7 possessions before they got beyond mid court. By the time they could catch their breath and call time out We were up 12-0 without running a set Offense.
 
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Wayne Radford and AJ Moye. When you have those two who played a tough position for their size and were fairly successful at it,that says a lot. I love bench guys like Eyl and Kreigh Smith too.
 
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I agree that Jim Thomas was the most underrated of my lifetime.

We don't win in 81 without him and he went on to have a decent NBA career....but he's never mentioned. I'm not sure he's even in the HOF.

A guy who was a little before my time was Abernathy on the 75 and 76 team. Not sure he gets the credit for how important he was for those teams.

Guy who was even better than I remember was Jay Edwards. Not just his clutch shooting but some of the numbers he put up were crazy and he only played two seasons.

In an interview with Guyton he said he scored right off the bat. In his, first practice he put up 27 against the starters but Knight didn't play him. He kept dominating in practice and Knight finally gave him some run against Notre Dame where he scored something like twelve unanswered points in three minutes....or something to take us to OT....where Knight didn't play him.

When he got into the lineup he broke most single game freshman records.

Jay admitted he needed one more year. Not for his game but to get over an injury and to kick his alcohol addiction that he struggled with back in HS.

Anyway, Edwards might have been underrated.
Good call on TA. A guy who is rarely mentioned.
 
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Justin Smith and D Thomas. Last year would have been different with Justin as he brought different skills. D Thomas did lot with his size.
 
Justin Smith and D Thomas. Last year would have been different with Justin as he brought different skills. D Thomas did lot with his size.
Disagree on Justin Smith. I think he needed a fresh start and a new voice coaching him. I saw more emotion out of him in 1 season at Arkansas than I did in the 2 or 3 seasons he was here. The funny thing is, he was still the same player. Didn't expand his game at all: rebound, crash and use your athleticism.
 
Disagree on Justin Smith. I think he needed a fresh start and a new voice coaching him. I saw more emotion out of him in 1 season at Arkansas than I did in the 2 or 3 seasons he was here. The funny thing is, he was still the same player. Didn't expand his game at all: rebound, crash and use your athleticism.

No1 under Archie showed emotion. That was his main problem IMO. They didn’t run through a wall for him, let alone jog through saran wrap.
 
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i can not forget "Grizzly Risley".
Risley was a really good player. Far more athletic than people thought and a pretty big guy. Decent high school quarterback (might’ve had some MAC level interest, though he would’ve likely been moved) who was a really good hoops player who flourished under BK’s coaching.
 
Bobby Wilkerson, best defensive player ever at IU. Defense wins games but does not fill out the stat sheet offensive catagories.
I actually thought Bobby Wilkerson was one of the best players on the 1976 IU Undefeated National Champion.
Bobby Wilkerson had the longest NBA Career of any player on that 1975-76 IU National Championship team.
Matt Nover, Jim Thomas, Daryl Thomas, Dane Fife, Ted Kitchel, Steve Green
Injuries limiting promising careers: Glen Grunwald, Pat Graham, Mo.
 
Charlie Miller would have been great but Harris Musajenovik nutted him at Midnight Madness scrimmage and he wasn't the same after that.
 
Bobby Wilkerson, best defensive player ever at IU. Defense wins games but does not fill out the stat sheet offensive catagories.
I actually thought Bobby Wilkerson was one of the best players on the 1976 IU Undefeated National Champion.
Bobby Wilkerson had the longest NBA Career of any player on that 1975-76 IU National Championship team.
Matt Nover, Jim Thomas, Daryl Thomas, Dane Fife, Ted Kitchel, Steve Green
Injuries limiting promising careers: Glen Grunwald, Pat Graham, Mo.
Wilkerson got a lot of mileage out of his long wingspan. The gazelle-like legs helped him, too. He wasn’t an outstanding shooter, but his physical attributes and Bob Knight tutelage made him one of our best defenders of all time. It’s too bad his career ended without him available for all but the first 5 min. of the championship game. When he went down, IU fans had a deja vue moment of “Here we go again, unbelievable!” Its not easy to beat a team three times in one season. We were down six points at halftime. Winning by 20, they were not to be denied this time as Buckner was able to perform his sideline jig before it was over. The celebration of our long awaited, undefeated season started earlier and has yet to end! Good times for IU fans all across the nation.
 
Disagree on Justin Smith. I think he needed a fresh start and a new voice coaching him. I saw more emotion out of him in 1 season at Arkansas than I did in the 2 or 3 seasons he was here. The funny thing is, he was still the same player. Didn't expand his game at all: rebound, crash and use your athleticism.
I saw the same. Got to watch a couple ARK games especially in the tourney. Not much changed in his game, but he definitely seemed more engaged. Pretty clear that his demeanor didn't mesh well with CAM and possibly even the pressure of IU basketball in general. Like CAM, he rarely looked glad to be in Bloomington. But to say he was underrated at IU....nah. Just one of many talented players who came to IU and failed to increase their skills under CAM.
 
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Bobby Wilkerson, best defensive player ever at IU. Defense wins games but does not fill out the stat sheet offensive catagories.
I actually thought Bobby Wilkerson was one of the best players on the 1976 IU Undefeated National Champion.
Bobby Wilkerson had the longest NBA Career of any player on that 1975-76 IU National Championship team.
Matt Nover, Jim Thomas, Daryl Thomas, Dane Fife, Ted Kitchel, Steve Green
Injuries limiting promising careers: Glen Grunwald, Pat Graham, Mo.

Wilkerson would have averaged 6 points more a game had dunking not been banned during his time.

BW struggled with finishing at the basket absent being able to dunk.

that said, i am one of the few that would be interested in banning the dunk again, but ESPN would never let it happen since they think dunks are all that matter, at least other than for Steph.

dunks actually affect the game more than most realize.

what can be an easy dunk for long athletic players while attacking the basket full speed, can often/sometimes be a very difficult finish to almost a low percentage shot for that same player coming at the hoop full speed with someone on them, if not allowed to dunk it.
 
most guys mentioned were very highly regarded, so hard to consider them underrated.

i'll throw in Errek Suhr.

IU won a few games against top 20-25 teams because of Suhr, that they flat wouldn't have won without him.

can't think of any other walk ons i could say that about.
 
Bobby Wilkerson, best defensive player ever at IU. Defense wins games but does not fill out the stat sheet offensive catagories.
I actually thought Bobby Wilkerson was one of the best players on the 1976 IU Undefeated National Champion.
Bobby Wilkerson had the longest NBA Career of any player on that 1975-76 IU National Championship team.
Matt Nover, Jim Thomas, Daryl Thomas, Dane Fife, Ted Kitchel, Steve Green
Injuries limiting promising careers: Glen Grunwald, Pat Graham, Mo.
Buckner played 10 yrs. in the NBA, Bobby only 7.
But agreed with everything else about him.
A one-man full court press.
 
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