Eddie Lampkin, 6'11 C from Syracuse is another one. He avg 11.5pts 9.6rebs, 2.1 assists and a block in 29mins per game. I believe he was on IU's radar last week, but these things change by the minute so who knows.
Portal Options
- Thread starter TJ Inman
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He's pretty limited, mobility wise. Not saying he shouldn't be recruited...but that he isn't the athletic rim protecting defender many of us have been focusing on.
If we can find a really good defensive big that is a high-level rim protector, I agree. That would certainly fit the mold the best. With that being said, getting a really good rebounder does allow a team to eliminate possessions of the other team and naturally gives our team more opportunities on offense. I am with you though, a top end rim protector would be the perfect fit.
He's giving off Daron Davis vibes, to me... was that his name? Plodding IU big a few years ago...
But averaging a double double in the ACC, is impressive no matter how hit happened. Just would worry a little about the need and the fit for his specific type of player.
IU has filled seven of the 13 scholarship slots for the 2025-2026 season (they could bring in 15 but that would negatively impact revenue-sharing and IU is going to limit it to 13). Luke Goode getting another year would increase this number to eight with five to fill but we can't assume that will occur. We know what IU has in the fold, it is worthwhile to take a look at what is needed and who might be acceptable fits for those spots. Jasai Miles has two years remaining and Trent Sisley has four but the other five players will be in their final season. I think that means there will be an emphasis on players with multiple years of eligibility in addition to an emphasis on finding some interior help. The following are players that I think COULD make sense as options. No one is a perfect player and me listing this players does not mean IU actually will pursue them but these players are available and could be logical additions.
Guards
I'm not including Eddie Lampkin or Ante Brzovic because I don't really see how they win a case for more eligibility. It has gotten quite late very early in the center market!
Whew...if you made it this far, congratulations! Hopefully this was enjoyable and gives a general overview of what might be available for the Hoosiers. Assistant coach hires might change what's possible, of course.
Guards
- Dylan Darling - Idaho State - 6'2" - two years left - outstanding offensive player, Big Sky Player of the Year. Once IU landed Wilkerson and Conerway, I think the likelihood that IU is a serious option for Darling went away.
- Rakease Passmore - Kansas - three years left - very athletic player that IU recruited out of high school before Mike Woodson focused elsewhere. He did not really gain traction with the Jayhawks but has a high-ceiling and managed a 1.43 Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating (DBPR) despite being a freshman.
- Kevin Overton - Texas Tech - two years left - played for Darian DeVries at Drake. Posted a 3.76 BPR and 2.1 Box Score Plus Minus (BPM). He's a solid player and played a good role off the bench for a good Texas Tech team. He doesn't do anything great but has good length plus the prior connection to the head coach. Iowa could be a player for him (if they have the NIL left to pursue him)
- Alex Chaikin - Lafayette - three years left - 6'4" freshman was an elite three-point shooter at 47.5%. He doesn't do anything else at a high-level but his defensive metrics really were not bad for a freshman. Chaikin would be an awesome role player off the bench.
- Nyk Lewis - Xavier decommit - four years left - 6'0" incoming freshman - if IU wanted to add an incoming point guard that's a freshman, Nyk Lewis is probably the best option. Acaden Lewis is not looking at IU. Lewis is a top 65 recruit that showed toughness and great pace in high school. He is a good passer and creator that is defensively physical and competitive on the perimeter. Lewis is from Washington, DC so Kenny Johnson could have connection. The biggest concern is that his shooting has been inconsistent and will need to improve to be a high-impact player.
- Adam Miller - Arizona State - one year left - Miller played at Illinois before moving to Tempe. He shot 42.9% from three for the Sun Devils last season and he's very experienced. He'd be another one-year player and if Goode is coming back, there's not much need to add Miller...unless IU does not like many of the underclassmen options.
- Martin Somerville - UMass Lowell - three years left - now we are getting into projection territory. Meaning, would IU rather take a flyer on a young guard like this or just focus on a larger 2026 freshman class and bring in more one-year guys this cycle? Somerville averaged 13.6 points per game, 3.7 assists to just 1.5 turnovers with a high usage rate, shot 40.5% from three and had 1.5 steals per game. His defensive metrics would need to improve but he's a promising shooter. Originally from Bowie, Maryland so Johnson may have a connection.
- Jemel Jones - Bakersfield - two years left - originally from Chicago, he averaged 18.9 points per game and shot 35 percent from three. Jones was on a bad team and was by far the best player with a 4.7 BPM and a good assist rate.
- George Kimbel III - Eastern Kentucky - two years left - averaged 18 points per game with 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals, team-best 3.9 BPM and no discernible weaknesses in his metrics
- AJ Brown - Ohio - two years left - 13.2 points per game and efficient offensive rating with 38% from three and 3.1 BPM. Not a good defensive player though.
- Blake Harper - Howard - three years left - 19.5 points per game and he is from Washington, DC and shot 40% from three as a freshman. That's the good. The bad? He was inefficient, not good at all on defense and his team was -159 with him on the floor.
- Elyjah Freeman - Lincoln Memorial - three years left - Freeman projects as one of the best players left in the portal. He has visited IU, Auburn and Tennessee and will likely make a decision soon. Tennessee is rumored to be the leader but there is no concrete information on where things stand with him.
- Alvaro Folgueiras - Robert Morris - two years left - one of my favorite players remaining in the portal. Originally from Spain, he is an outstanding defensive rebounder and good perimeter shooter with an impressive 8.3 BPM. He completed visits to Iowa, Providence and Villanova nearly a week ago and has not made a decision. It appears IU is not involved at all but he has not committed so I guess anything is possible?
- Dillon Mitchell - Cincinnati - technically listed as a forward so he's included here. One year left and a quality defender and shot-blocker. It feels like if IU wanted to get involved here, Drew Adams would have them involved already. It appears IU does not want to pursue.
- Liutauras Lelevicius - Oregon State - three years left - as a freshman, he had a 2.5 BPM and an offensive rating of 124.9. Average defender with length that could help him be a positive on that end. Promising three-point shooter. IU has been in contact with him and a visit was being scheduled.
- Terrance Arceneaux - Houston - one year left - 6.5 BPR and a terrific 4.35 DBPR for the Houston Cougars. He's only an average rebounder and has a poor assist rate but he's a high-level wing defender and very athletic. IU was one of the schools that contacted him when he entered but competition for this one would be fierce.
- Kimani Hamilton - High Point - one year left - 13.1 points per game and a team-best 4.6 BPM. His only negative is perimeter shooting (32%). He's a very strong offensive rebounder (something IU doesn't currently have) and a plus-defender with good athleticism. IU is one of the schools that contacted him when he entered.
- Kennard Davis - Southern Illinois - two years left - 16.3 points per game and 37.6% from three. Davis has an interesting profile. He's not great at anything but doesn't really have any deficiencies either. He could be a good bench piece and maybe Mike Bargen has a connection from his long-time in the Valley?
- Josh Harris - North Florida - 6'8" with three years left - former teammate of Jasai Miles - 13.4 points and 7.1 rebounds as a freshman - not a great defender (no one at North Florida was) and not a perimeter threat but he was a terrific defensive rebounder and that is a trait DeVries hunts.
- Tyrell Ward - LSU - sat out this past season for mental health reasons. He has been mentioned with IU but his metrics do not suggest an above-average Power Five player.
I'm not including Eddie Lampkin or Ante Brzovic because I don't really see how they win a case for more eligibility. It has gotten quite late very early in the center market!
- Duke Brennan - Grand Canyon - one year left - Outstanding rebounder with a 14.7 offensive rebounding rate and an awesome 23 defensive rebounding rate. Efficient offensive player and positive defender. The only negative is a block rate of just 1.7. He seems like a really good fit.
- Luke Bamgboye - VCU - three years left - 6'10" from London...he doesn't really know what he's doing yet but he averaged 2.1 blocks per game and 3.3 rebounds in just 16.8 minutes. DBPR of 2.61 and an elite block rate of 14.5. Very intriguing.
- Joshua Ojianwuna - Baylor - started 23 games before getting injured, 6'10" with only year left. He is a solid defender and efficient offensive player
- Papa Kante - Pitt - three years left - played in 22 games but only 6.9 minutes per game - raw project
- Noah Amenhauser - Coastal Carolina - 7'2" - two years left - 22.4 minutes per game, 10.8 and 6 rebounds with solid rebounding rate but I think he's too stiff to help at the Big Ten level in IU's system
- Dez Briscoe - decommit from Iowa - 6'9" from Attucks with four years left - IU has to choose if they want to pursue. He has good length and is a good shot-blocker. I don't think he can help IU for a year or two.
Whew...if you made it this far, congratulations! Hopefully this was enjoyable and gives a general overview of what might be available for the Hoosiers. Assistant coach hires might change what's possible, of course.
This could be connecting dots that aren't really connected but...4-star center Leo Curtis decommitted from Arizona State today. He chose the Sun Devils over his other two finalists: West Virginia and Indiana.
Curtis is originally from Iceland and is listed at 7'1" and 220 pounds.
Curtis is originally from Iceland and is listed at 7'1" and 220 pounds.
I'll wager we've blown Cincinnatis offer for Thiam out of the water to include an opportunity for his mentor, and been on contact with Ngongba s agent at Duke in case Thiam were to go there. Curtis is a strong possibility to understudy behind Bailey for a year. He has been recruited by DD before.
Brennan off the board. We're going to make a multi-million dollar play for Thiam. Not an industry guy to source but its coming.
A couple of players to add:
- Leo Curtis - Center - 4 years remaining - 7'1" and skilled...probably not the answer for an interior presence and rim protector as a freshman but very promising and IU should be a contender after he decommitted from Arizona State today.
- Sam Alexis - F/C - 1 year remaining - only 6'9" but 240 pounds with good potential, Alexis averaged 10.8 points/9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in 26.4 minutes as a sophomore for Chattanooga before transferring to Florida. He struggled with injuries last season for the national champions and his minutes dwindled as a result. He still ended up with a 1.82 DBPR for the Gators and was a positive metrics player for the Mocs. According to Jeff Rabjohns of peegs.com, Alexis could be an option for the Hoosiers now that he is in the portal.
how about Isaiah Miranda? I suspect both DeVries and K Johnson are already familiar with him.
Not saying they can’t be good players and I’m not advocating one way or the other…just a general question/observation. Have 7’1”-7’2” guys always been this damn skinny? Seems like if you’re that tall, you should be at least 250-260. That Curtis guy is listed 7’1” 220lbs. Wasn’t Eric Gordon 6’3” or 6’4” and 215-220lbs? Damn near a foot shorter but the same weight?
Based on the videos, I really like Curtis’ euro like skills. Did you see those euro steps and finishes? 😂
But it is clear that he needs more strength. He would likely not be counted on as the main man 5 that we need. But I still think he would be a great add for some minutes, fouls to give, and hoping he adds strength for a 2026 return.
But it is clear that he needs more strength. He would likely not be counted on as the main man 5 that we need. But I still think he would be a great add for some minutes, fouls to give, and hoping he adds strength for a 2026 return.
Auburn like Michigan is getting a great balance of players from the portal. I'm sure CDD is looking at bigs and like some have said ,maybe guys from overseas. Who knows? I like Arceneaux as a small forward. Thiam is gonna cost a high price. Not sure IU would pay what his agent wants. IU needs to get a good shot blocker/rebounder as they seem to be actually tough for once on the perimeter. On paper anyway. If possible I'd take a Kennard Davis. Guy can slash and can score. Most all these guys don't seem high defensive players anyway. Maybe just put the Hurryin' back in Hoosiers. Outgun your opponent.
I'm usually in full agreement with you. Last year Thiam is 7'2" 235 and plays tremendous defense. 2.6 offensive rebounds and 2.8 blocks. He was a freshman that should've still been in high school. I don't really have an opinion on Curtis. I can't express enough how awful Bailey is defensively near the basket and on the offensive glass.
Sorry, had to laugh. LOL
Although thumbs up for the post, and to our coach always working!
But I hope for our center needs we aren't down to 'How tall is he? That'll do...' lol
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Although thumbs up for the post, and to our coach always working!
But I hope for our center needs we aren't down to 'How tall is he? That'll do...' lol
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Does he know anything about the player? Hmmmm! Did he talk to the player?
Haha Seriously. One would surmise it's not real or that wasn't the whole story but....
You’re dumb for posting “dumb”! How about contributing more to conversations than just a one word post! It’d be nice if mods would put a stop to this annoying crap!
I’m mocking his dumbsss
I'm anxious to see how he recruits high school kids in the coming years.
Happy Easter everyone. I'll be at church and then with family for most of today but wanted to pop in. I don't expect anything to materialize for IU this weekend in terms of commitments and no one is visiting this weekend. A couple of notes I noticed and was told yesterday:
-If IU makes a serious pursuit for Leo Curtis, he does have interest and IU would have a good chance to land him.
-Nyk Lewis (Xavier decommit) is headed to VCU. After initial contact, IU did not push at all.
I think you'll see IU wait until after the portal deadline (22nd) to start aggressively pursuing further additions. They are anticipating some additional entries (I do not know who) that would, presumably, become targets. Indiana is in a pretty good spot as there are not many teams with a whole lot of money left. It should be a very interesting week ahead!
-If IU makes a serious pursuit for Leo Curtis, he does have interest and IU would have a good chance to land him.
-Nyk Lewis (Xavier decommit) is headed to VCU. After initial contact, IU did not push at all.
I think you'll see IU wait until after the portal deadline (22nd) to start aggressively pursuing further additions. They are anticipating some additional entries (I do not know who) that would, presumably, become targets. Indiana is in a pretty good spot as there are not many teams with a whole lot of money left. It should be a very interesting week ahead!
In this day and age, does it really make any difference about years of eligibility left?
If a player has a really good year, the chances are pretty good that he will enter the portal to up his pay!
Maybe it is easier to keep them than get them??!!
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I think it depends on each school's NIL situation. As seen during the year before last, IU didn't lose any of our "good" players because we have enough NIL to reach/exceed market value.
TJ, I am really happy with the changes around here . Thank you.
Happy Easter! The coverage on here has been great for both football and basketball since the recent changes and Hoosier Huddle taking over.
So if Jayden Stone comes to Indiana, it'll prove WVU fans are right - that Coach DeVries knew before they even suited up for the first game that he needed to get out of there. So he told Jayden 'sit out this season, we'll go someplace better next year.'
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Those Jayden Stone numbers were from Mike Davis 1-31 last Detroit Mercy team....
Yeah, I don't know if he's any good or not. Not my call anyway.
Hmmmmm! But 8 left this year, after being picked to place second in the BT. All those players are bad? Why would they leave all that money?
Are you that stupid? I mean that's pretty much a rhetorical question but damn.
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