It is going to take a while to get over the PTSD of recent recruiting years, where we hear of mutual interest of IU and players X, Y, and Z, and then land none of them.

But trust me, I WANT to believe!

DeVries and Kenny Johnson are again watching Cole Cloer (2026 wing)...they have prioritized him today and yesterday and are clearly focused on making sure the Hoosiers get a visit. 

By the way, the adidas circuit is in LA and Latrell Allmond was really good in a game last night. Drew Adams and Rod Clark are currently there for IU. 

Great job on the info guys, keep up the great work!

Cole Cloer was the only main IU prospect on the Nike EYBL circuit to make the quarterfinals of the Peach Jam. It will be interesting to see how the IU coaches approach that. Does Darian DeVries stay in North Augusta just to see Cloer today at 10:30 am (IU really wants to secure a visit from him...understandably so). Same with Kenny Johnson. Or, do they all head to LA to see the adidas circuit today? Or get eyes on Chase Branham at the Under Armour circuit (I'm not sure where they are this weekend). 

Prince Alexander-Moody was good yesterday. Ethan Taylor put together a really impressive couple of days despite splitting time at center (MoKan Elite continues to do that with their bigs). Jordan Smith Jr. is a fantastic player. It'll be a heavyweight fight to land him but he is absolutely elite as a powerful guard.

The answer to what IU coaches would do today...Darian DeVries went to Chicago to see 2027 guard Chase Branham on the Under Armour circuit. Kenny Johnson and Rod Clark are in North Augusta to see Cole Cloer (very clear that IU wants him to know they'd love a visit this summer/fall from Cloer) and center Najai Hines (6'8", built like a truck, formerly a high-end football prospect that is now the 4th ranked center in the class) in bracket play of the Peach Jam. I suppose that leaves Drew Adams in LA for adidas but I have not seen that posted anywhere. 

@tjinman1987 

more I watch of chase Branham the more I like. Kid is a worker.  Good motor.  Good IQ. My son and I are heading there tomorrow to see what games we can catch. 

@tjinman1987 I gave CDD a fist bump today in Chicago.  Welcomed him to IU, and told him we’re glad to have him.  He handled it very graciously.  Ha ha.  Yes, he was watching Branham.  He also caught a 15u game between Canada Elite and Middlesex Magic.  Haven’t researched it, but there had to be a handful of very highly rated kids in that game.  Especially on Canada Elite.

I'll have the Hot Board 2.0 this weekend or early next week. Sorry for the delay...I'm out for a personal matter this week and will post when I can.

Already visited:
Latrell Allmond - Forward (No. 42)...I have IU leading this and hoping it wraps up soon
Luigi Suigo - Center...unlikely to go anywhere for IU

Visits scheduled:
Deron Rippey Jr. - Guard (top 25)
Taylen Kinney - Guard (top 25)...seems like Louisville or UK

Likely to Visit:
Anthony Thompson - Forward (top 10)
Jordan Smith - Guard (top 10)
Ethan Taylor - Center (top 25)...I think Kansas will be tough to beat
Arafan Diane - Center (top 20)
Junior County - Guard (No. 27)...IU hopes to get a visit

Cole Cloer - Wing (top 25)...IU is really trying to get a visit and made that clear by watching him every game he played this past week

Aiden Derkack (top 50)...I don't know if IU is going to push for him. He does a whole lot of things well but he continues to struggle as a perimeter shooter. If IU pushes, they should get a visit and have a chance. For what it's worth, I think he could be a good addition to a class of four or five if the others are solid to good shooters. 

Miika Muurinen - Center (top 20)...he didn't play AAU this season so he's off the radar but his recruitment could anywhere. 

@tjinman1987 Great list.  Hopefully a good chunk of Sisley, Ricstic, Harris, Dorn, Drake, and Miles both crack the main rotation this year, and come back next year.

4-5 of the guys from above

3-4 incoming frosh, maybe a couple from your list along with Moody.

And then 4-5 impactful transfers and/or foreign players next year.

That is the way.  

Attention is understandably on the Puerto Rico trip but a couple of important updates:

Ethan Taylor, perhaps IU's number one choice at center for the 2026 class, is visiting IU from September 19 to 21 (home FB game against Illinois). 

Junior County, the top-ranked shooting guard in the 2026 class, is visiting IU on September 5. 

Thompson visiting Sep 12

Beginning with Tay Kinney, 2026 5-star PG, IU will have four straight weekends hosting a top 30 prospect. Louisville is considered the favorite for Kinney but IU gets a visit so they have a shot.

After this weekend, it's Junior County on September 5. Then, Anthony Thompson with a massive visit for IU on September 12 and Ethan Taylor from September 19-21. Taylor is now considered by most to be IU's top target at center for the 2026 class. 

Obviously, the focus will be on football for the next month-plus but important visits are beginning to occur for basketball!

According to Jeff Rabjohns of peegs.com...IU assistant coach Drew Adams is in Europe to see multiple games (EuroBasket 2025 playoffs) featuring 2026 5-star forward Miika Muurinen. The Finnish international has become a priority for the Hoosiers and they are working to get an official visit. This is a "big fish" and he is also considering Michigan, Arkansas, Kentucky and Duke among others. 

@tjinman1987 Small thing...but I thought I saw something in the last couple days that Duke is no longer a consideration for him?  Still some major competitors, but any time Duke gets crossed off a list, its a good thing...if its true.  

I love the interest in all these very skilled foreign players.  But I hope he finds some "animals" on the front line as well.  Guys like Chinleyu and Haugh from Florida, Clingan, Tugler...  Always seeing the skilled bigs do well for teams like Creighton, Gonzaga, Illinois has been getting some... but then they seem to all inevitably lose to teams that have "dawgs" down there defending and rebounding the hell out of the paint area.

A perfect situation would be getting a player like Muurinen, AND having a guy like Tugler to play alongside him.   Big, long, skilled inside outside oriented big, and an absolute monster rebounder, shot blocker to anchor the post.  You can still spread the floor on offense, but aren't vulnerable near the basket defensively.  

https://twitter.com/ebosshoops/status/1963277476823703772

IUBB coaches out to see Ethan Taylor today.