Portal Surge: How Indiana Men’s Basketball Is Building a Contender for the 26-27 Season

Entering his second season under mounting pressure, head coach Darian DeVries leads the Indiana Hoosiers in an urgent bid to transform the program. With only one returning player and three incoming freshmen forming the foundation, the Hoosiers are turning to the portal for the power they need. This power includes five players from high-major conferences, a clear shift from last year’s reliance on mid-major transfers, which often left Indiana outmatched. With these additions, the Hoosiers ought to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming 26-27 season.

Roster Turnover and Key Departures

With the transfer portal in full swing, the Hoosiers so far have lost junior guards Jasai Miles and Jason Drake, and sophomore forward Josh Harris. There is potential for further losses, so the only returning player thus far is Trent Sisley. In addition, graduating seniors include the vast majority of Indiana departures: Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries, Conor Enright, Reed Bailey, Sam Alexis, and Tayton Conerway. Despite the losses of Miles, Drake, and Harris, these departures should not affect the Hoosiers much, as Drake and Harris missed the majority of their time due to injuries, and Miles, when on the court, had a limited offensive contribution. Still, from a continuity standpoint, losing so many players is not ideal. However, consider that this year's national champions, the Michigan Wolverines, had a starting lineup composed almost entirely of transfers. Therefore, Indiana's position is far from the worst.

Portal Power: Key Roster Additions

Significant contributors from the portal include six-foot-eleven power forward Aiden Sherell from Alabama, who averaged 11.1 points and just over six rebounds per game last season. Sherell’s presence in the frontcourt should do wonders for the Hoosiers' attack in the paint, rebounding, and their overall physicality. Another addition is six-foot-three guard Bryce Lindsay from Villanova. Lindsay’s ability to make shots from beyond the arc should contribute heavily to three-point shots for Indiana. Continuing the size trend is seven-foot-two center Samet Yigitoglu from SMU, whose size should do wonders for the Hoosiers' defense and rebounding. One significant addition to the point guard position for the Hoosiers is transfer Markus Burton from Notre Dame, who could very well be one of the best true point guards to play at Indiana in recent history. Averaging 18.5 points per game, his ability to move and make plays should benefit the Hoosiers tremendously. Another guard acquired alongside Lindsay is Jaeden Mustaf from Georgia Tech, who, like everyone else named, also has a double-figure point average of 10.4 points per game. Rounding off the key additions is a six-foot-six wing, Darren Harris, from Duke. While he didn’t get much playing time while at Duke, he is still a significant addition as a former top-40 pick and should get much more playing time in a Hoosiers frontcourt. 

Looking Ahead

With these additions to the Hoosier roster and a change in recruiting strategy, with transfers from high-major programs rather than mid-major programs. Head coach Darian DeVries is already looking to switch things up in his sophomore coaching season. What is evident about this one, aside from being from high-major programs, is their size and skill. Burton, for instance, with his speed, playmaking ability, and style as a true point guard, is sure to uplift the abilities of players around him. Coupled with the size of these additions, expect Indiana to fare differently against good teams. With a very real possibility of significant improvement heading into head coach DeVries' second season with the Hoosiers.