Mike Woodson’s decision not to participate in the 2024 National Invitational Tournament has paid enormous dividends. Indiana has the highest-rated transfer class in college basketball. While other teams in the top five (Michigan, UCLA, and Memphis) have more portal commits, Indiana has the highest player rating and is the only five-star in the portal class (Kansas has four commits, like IU).
The Hoosiers’ overall rating of 34.15 is about two points higher than Kansas’ rating of 32.71. Top portal recruit Oumar Ballo put the Hoosiers at the top of the rankings.
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How they fit:
Indiana had to replace Kel’el Ware and Xavier Johnson from its starting lineup. When Johnson got hurt, the Hoosiers were also exposed at times in the backcourt without a secondary ball handler. Gabe Cupps wasn’t ready, and it showed.
Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo more than fills in for Ware, and he also gives more size with a more traditional low-post game than Ware. With so many skill players around him, Ballo’s best asset is that he doesn’t need the ball to affect the game.
Transfers Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle give Indiana elite playmakers who can get to the basket or shoot the mid-range jumper. They need to improve their three-point shooting, but that made Luke Goode such a critical pick-up. Goode knows Big Ten basketball and is an established, reliable bench player and three-point shooter.
The Hoosiers have two scholarships left for th 24-25 season, so they might not be done in the portal or high school.
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