As previously mentioned...Thomas Carr is joining IU's staff: Thomas Carr To IU Basketball Staff - Hoosier Huddle
Sounding more and more like Self is retiring. Kansas and UNC both looking for coaches in the same year is nuts.
If true... Drew Adams... earn your paycheck this time, please.
One of the reported top candidates to replace Self is Grant McAsland... I say lets get Cuban and whoever else to make Christian Anderson and Flory Bidunga to IU happen. Might as well go get Vesseer and Dixon from UNC as well while we're at it.
Feeling unrealistically optimistic this morning. Seriously though, if Self does retire, Adams and IU need to figure out how to make Bidunga happen. It'll be very, very, very expensive. And obviously there has to be a limit, but he is exactly the type of big IU needs. And there's obviously a connection. And of all the guys that might portal, he'd be a lightning rod for our fan base.
TJ... reality check this potential roster...
Bigs - Flory Bidunga (Kansas transfer), DeSean Goode (Robert Morris transfer), Foreign main rotation level big
Wings - Jalen Harelson (ND transfer), Nick Dorn, Darren Harris (Duke transfer), Trent Sisley, Jasai Miles, Trevor Manhertz, Vaughn Karvala
Guards - John Blackwell (Wisky transfer), Derek Dixon (UNC transfer), Coby Garland (San Jose St transfer), Alexa Ristic
Bidunga - 5 million
Harelson, Goode, Dorn, Dixon, Foreign Big all 1 million each (5 million total)
Blackwell - 4 million
The rest average 600K (3-4 million total)
If my math is correct, that'd be around 17-18 million total.
I could see if we spent a ton on Bidunga and Blackwell, that they might consider and choose IU. The problem with the above roster is probably the guys like Haralson, Harris, Dixon... high major guys we'll probably have to overpay for, to get them to come to IU. Not sure CDD or the current IU program, will get many high major guys to "buy in to something larger", and just be part of a solid rotation.
But the above isn't too far fetched, is it?, in terms of what we could see. 2 truly elite guys, a few main rotation high major guys, a couple CPOY small school guys, a foreign guy or two, and then the returners and incoming frosh.
@iunorth If we could get an early commit from a big name like Bidunga that would make it easier for other high level guys to be interested. Winners attract winners basically.
@ams66 For sure. Also could help with any high end "4" type players, that might have some worries about being pressed in to playing the "5" for IU...if Bidunga happen to be in play, and happen to choose to reunite with Adams, at IU. TJ, I believe, hinted that Adams might be on his way out... and the Carr signing probably doesn't make that any less likely. So the Bidunga talk is probably pie in the sky type stuff. But if not him, maybe Yessefou from Baylor or someone like those guys.
Per Jeff Rabjohns of peegs.com...it is now confirmed that Trent Sisley is staying at IU for his sophomore season.
I am hopeful that Trent can make a big jump and a play nice role for IU this coming season.
@iunorth Too far-fetched? Probably not terribly so, no. But...I do think you are significantly underselling how much Jalen Haralson will get in the portal. I bet he goes for $3 million and I would not be at all surprised if it's more than that. I am really high on Haralson and love him as a player. His one weakness is that he does not shoot from the perimeter very well and is not particularly comfortable doing so. I think he's really good at everything else. I actually would be very intrigued about a lineup with Haralson as the primary distributor because I think he's a genius-level passer. Anyway, he's getting WAY more than $1 million from somebody and I hope it's IU that pays him what he wants.
John Blackwell, if he transfers, has not been connected in any way to IU. I'd guess if he leaves Wisconsin, he's going to Michigan or Duke or a school viewed as an immediate title threat. Bidunga could make $5 mil and I'd be cool with IU paying him that. Will he leave Kansas? I have my doubts but who knows. On the others...I bet DeSean Goode (I really like him too) makes more than you are estimating and I bet Colby Garland gets more than the $600K you are estimating and he'll probably go someplace he can start.
I do like where your head is at with roster construction and allocation of funds...get a few BIG money studs and figure out the rest with pieces that fit and can be developed.
I will believe it when I see it with self. I will honestly be shocked if he retires. And yes he would be very expensive probably 4-5 million dollars.Sounding more and more like Self is retiring. Kansas and UNC both looking for coaches in the same year is nuts.
If true... Drew Adams... earn your paycheck this time, please.
One of the reported top candidates to replace Self is Grant McAsland... I say lets get Cuban and whoever else to make Christian Anderson and Flory Bidunga to IU happen. Might as well go get Vesseer and Dixon from UNC as well while we're at it.
Feeling unrealistically optimistic this morning. Seriously though, if Self does retire, Adams and IU need to figure out how to make Bidunga happen. It'll be very, very, very expensive. And obviously there has to be a limit, but he is exactly the type of big IU needs. And there's obviously a connection. And of all the guys that might portal, he'd be a lightning rod for our fan base.
TJ... reality check this potential roster...
Bigs - Flory Bidunga (Kansas transfer), DeSean Goode (Robert Morris transfer), Foreign main rotation level big
Wings - Jalen Harelson (ND transfer), Nick Dorn, Darren Harris (Duke transfer), Trent Sisley, Jasai Miles, Trevor Manhertz, Vaughn Karvala
Guards - John Blackwell (Wisky transfer), Derek Dixon (UNC transfer), Coby Garland (San Jose St transfer), Alexa Ristic
Bidunga - 5 million
Harelson, Goode, Dorn, Dixon, Foreign Big all 1 million each (5 million total)
Blackwell - 4 million
The rest average 600K (3-4 million total)
If my math is correct, that'd be around 17-18 million total.
I could see if we spent a ton on Bidunga and Blackwell, that they might consider and choose IU. The problem with the above roster is probably the guys like Haralson, Harris, Dixon... high major guys we'll probably have to overpay for, to get them to come to IU. Not sure CDD or the current IU program, will get many high major guys to "buy in to something larger", and just be part of a solid rotation.
But the above isn't too far fetched, is it?, in terms of what we could see. 2 truly elite guys, a few main rotation high major guys, a couple CPOY small school guys, a foreign guy or two, and then the returners and incoming frosh.
Harrelson for 1 million are you high. He will be 3 million minimum.
@arioznahoosier4554 I could see it. The Darryn Peterson experience this year could have pushed him over the edge? Its why other guys like Jay Wright and Saban retired.
@arioznahoosier4554 I could see it. The Darryn Peterson experience this year could have pushed him over the edge? Its why other guys like Jay Wright and Saban retired. It is nothing but the NBA 2.0.
We shall see I doubt he wants to go out this way but you never know I guess. I mean these are all paid pro's now I don't think it would be much fun coaching a bunch of professionals who probably do not even listen half the time anymore. It is simply the NBA 2.0
TJ- our new assistant has been touted as a shot dr- does he help land Harelson if he can correct his shot?
If it’s true about Adams being shoved out. Wouldn’t be shocking. He was brought in with his supposed recruiting connections. Is he really that valuable?
@iunorth I'd guess also why Fife never went anywhere else to stay in coaching. NIL was a sore subject with him.
Here's the On3 top player rankings in the portal by position as of 6:50 am March 27:
C Anton Bonke 7'2" Charlotte - Sr.
PG Jackson Shelstad 6'0" Oregon - Sr.
SG Stefan Vaaks 6'7" Providence - So.
PF Paulius Murauskas 6'8" St. Mary's - Sr.
SF Gavin Doty 6'5" Siena - Jr.
Obviously there will be many, many more names added to the portal but as a hypothetical, would you be satisfied if this was the Indiana starting 5 for the 2026 / 27 season?