I think the difference maker could be that Woodson plausibly has more NBA experience than nearly any other coach in the college game - both as a player and as a coach. Even Juwan didn't have the head coaching experience CMW has.
What I've been reading about recruit reactions is that CMW's NBA experience resonates. Not sure how many have said that Woodson's been where they want to go and knows what it takes to get there, but it has been a significant percentage in both the 2022 class and the 2023 class.
While you could say Duncomb and Bates were other folks recruits (CAM on Duncomb and Kenya Hunter on Bates), Woodson had to close both to, in one case, stay with his IU commitment and the second in committing to IU. The Bates family in particular spoke to how impressed they were with Woodson.
In addition, IU apparently is lacking nothing in terms of facilities, living arrangements, academic support and commitment to the recruits beyond just basketball. If I'm a parent I think all of those things will make IU a strong contender even for recruits planning on making a decision this summer. Interesting to see what happens, but I am more optimistic than you seem to be that Woodson and staff can overcome the reticence of not having a collegiate record.
If you look at Juwan Howard, it didn't hurt Michigan's recruiting that he hadn't ever coached at the collegiate level and had no head coaching record at all to convince recruits.