Another rebuild in Bloomington? Not so fast.
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
BLOOMINGTON — After a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, it’s a little difficult to fully define the ’22-’23 season for the Indiana Hoosiers. Did they underachieve their high expectations? Should they have accomplished more in the final season of one of their all-time greats? Or did they actually have a pretty good season considering they lost Xavier Johnson to injury and took a step up in many areas?
However you choose to define this season, figuring out what happens next is an even greater challenge. But make no mistake about it: Plenty of other programs have remained good after major roster turnover, and it’s time for the Hoosiers to prove they can do the same.
You may despise the transfer portal that has become so important to the NCAA landscape. But the portal is also the key to a team like Indiana reshaping its roster in one off-season. The Hoosiers are losing Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson, and Miller Kopp. There’s a chance they’ll also lose Jalen Hood-Schifino if he chooses to leave for the NBA Draft. And there’s still a chance of losing Xavier Johnson if his medical hardship waiver gets declined.
Translation: The Hoosiers might be losing 90% of the production from their improved 4-seed squad. That doesn’t even account for other players who may decide to enter the transfer portal themselves.
Years ago, this would be a recipe for disaster, even if a good recruiting class was coming in. But with that transfer portal, the possibilities are still endless for this program. As of March 22nd, there are already over 750 names in the Transfer Portal. By the end of April, that number is expected to double. Consider it free agency without budget constraints. And if anything, the Hoosiers are in better shape than most in this type of free agency, because of their NIL position. So yes, the Hoosiers have some huge holes to fill. But flexibility brings opportunity.
“I’m not taking anything away from our season,” said IU Coach Mike Woodson. “The kind of season we had was a promising season. We had a good year. We made a step forward based on where we were a year ago, but it’s not good enough as far as I’m concerned. It’s not. We’ve got to get better from a personnel standpoint, and I’ve got to get better as a coach. I mean, it’s just that simple.”
Not only will the Hoosiers look a lot different next season, but their style of play may even follow. It’s never a good thing to lose one of the best players to ever put on the uniform. But this staff could get a little more modern with their offense… If the right players from the portal are brought in.
Woodson continued: “It depends on personnel. Trayce Jackson-Davis is the first center that I’ve ever coached in my career where I had to utilize my center as a post-up player. It’s the first time in my coaching career that I’ve had to coach a young man starting out on the block and expanding his game. I don’t know where we’re going to be next season in terms of how our style of play will be. But we’ve got to get better. I do know that.”
Could the Hoosiers strike out in the portal and enter a rebuilding phase once again next year? Sure. But I wouldn’t count on it. Look for Indiana to land multiple stud transfers that are ready to make a huge impact from day one. Let’s also not forget about the incoming freshmen and the possibilities of adding more of those to the mix.
Hoosier commit Gabe Cupps could make an immediate impact on this team, and for years to come. Pair him up with Trey Galloway and Malik Reneau, and you’re already off to a decent start. Jakai Newton is another top-100 combo guard who could be ready from day one. The Hoosiers are also still in the mix for some big time freshman recruits, including Garwey Dual. Most freshmen are already locked in to where they’re headed, but when coaching changes take place, some players will open up their recruitment. Mike Woodson has landed a late freshman recruit in each of his first two seasons, and it’s something to keep an eye on.
And lastly, the success or lack thereof from this team next year will have a lot to do with development. There are a lot of returning players (we think) that came into Bloomington with high prospect rankings. This year’s team was supposed to be the deepest Indiana team in a decade or more, and they didn’t live up to the hype.
Stating the obvious here: Returning players need to get better, and the Hoosiers have to hit the jackpot in the transfer portal. But let’s wait and see who all is wearing the candy stripes next season before making any predictions. If other programs can turn over their roster and remain relevant, Indiana can do it too.
