Oladipo and Zeller gone, Hoosiers will bring new identity in 2013-14
By COLLIN O’CONNOR
ISL Correspondent
Just a few days removed from the NCAA Championship game that Indiana fans envisioned watching their team compete in at the beginning of the season, the Hoosiers’ biggest stars have decided that it is in their best interest to declare for the NBA Draft.
Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo both made an impact on this year’s team and in this program that will not be forgotten for a long time. Being a large part of what was considered a renaissance of Indiana’s basketball program these last two seasons, these are two athletes whose careers are going to be tough to forget about. However, moving forward, the Hoosiers will have to find ways to win without the talent the two superstars brought to the equation each night.
Below is ESPN video of Zeller’s announcement.
Add the fact that starters Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls both have used up their eligibility, and the 2013-14 Hoosiers will be without 65.9% of their scoring from this season, including their top four scorers. Thus, it will be a completely different look when Indiana takes the court in October.
It will all start in the backcourt. Indiana retains point guard in Yogi Ferrell. People will remember his late tournament struggles, but his impact on this team shouldn’t be overlooked. As a freshman, Ferrell was able to come in right away and play over 28 minutes per game on a team that spent a lot of time at No. 1 in the rankings.
Alongside him, also returning from a key role this season, will be Will Sheehey. Touted as one of the top sixth men in the country, he will be stepping into a starter’s role with these departures. Each of their offseason improvements will be critical to getting this team going early in the season.
The key here may be the development of an athletic, well put-together recruiting class early in the season. Forward Noah Vonleh, a top ten prospect according to ESPNU’s Top 100, should come in and get a load of playing time on this newly thin front line. A late committment to the Hoosiers, Vonleh is was named as a McDonald’s All-American and was known for making a living on the boards for his prep team this season.
Troy Williams, ranked 42 in ESPNU’s Top 100, will also play a key role on the wing alongside incoming guard Stanford Robinson. Both figure to have time on the court when the Hoosiers open up the season. Incoming 6-11 freshman Luke Fischer, Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball, will also figure to be a part of re-establishing this Cody Zeller-less front line.
Early on, it will be interesting to see how these new players fit in with the likes of Remy Abell, Hanner Mosquera-Perea and Jeremy Hollowell. Indiana’s success next season may be largely dependent on the development of these underclassmen.
Luckily for this team though, inexperience isn’t an uncommon occurrence in college hoops. And, glass half full, the athleticism of this new core of players could provide a completely different look and fill in for the lack of rebounding efficiency and points in the paint that this year’s team lacked at times, though it could take time. There is plenty of potential for the 2013-2014 Indiana Hoosiers, but it will take time for all of these pieces to gel together the way they have the capability to do.
