PREDICTING NEXT SEASON’S INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER
WRITTEN BY EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER
If you look up the definition of the old saying “built it from the ground up”, chances are you may encounter some verbiage regarding new IUBB skipper Darian DeVries. With a grand total of zero active players on his roster, the former Mountaineer head coach has his work cut out for him in crafting the next chapter in the storied history of the Indiana University men’s basketball program. Fortunately for the new man at the Hoosier helm, he will have the full support of one of the nation’s most lucrative NIL collectives (one that is reportedly expected to spend roughly $10 million to assist in reconstructing this roster).
So, where does DeVries even begin? As he actively works to assemble his coaching staff, we should start reading repetitive news regarding new income player personnel in the days to come.
Here is how we see those announcements taking shape in the form of next season’s potential Indiana men’s basketball roster:
STARTERS
PG = Conor Enright | 6’2” | 180 lbs | Senior | DePaul
RATIONALE: Enright is a pure point guard who strives to set the table for his teammates (6.2 APG in 2024-2025) and scrap on defense. He already has an upcoming visit set to come check out B-Town in the near future, and previously played under DeVries at Drake.
SG = Ryan Conwell | 6’4” | 215 lbs | Senior | Xavier
RATIONALE: One of the most sought after players on the open market, Conwell is sure to have a laundry list of suitors in pursuit of his services. Hailing from Indianapolis where he attended Pike, the Hoosiers have the homegrown advantage over their impending competitors for Conwell. Where Enright excels in the art of setting others up for buckets, Conwell is better suited at putting the ball in the bucket. Over the course of the past 2x seasons, he has put up 16.6 PPG while drilling 2.9 triples/game at a sizzling 41% clip. BRING HIM HOME!
SF = Tucker DeVries | 6’7” | 220 lbs | Senior | West Virginia
PF = Amani Hansberry | 6’8” | 240 lbs | Junior | West Virginia
RATIONALE: In losing Malik Reneau, IU lost it’s starting power forward from the past 2x seasons. Replacing him will be no small feat, but luckily coach DeVries tutored a high octane 4-man at West Virginia who brings toughness on the boards (team-high 6.5 RPG at WVU this year) + a fearless spirit on the less glamorous end. It is easy to envision him filling a “glue guy” type role for this team.
C = Noah Williamson | 7’0” | 250 lbs | Senior | Bucknell
RATIONALE: This year’s Patriot League Player of the Year, Williamson is among the best big bodies on the big board this offseason. He has already been connected to IU, and it would make sense for the Latvian native to contemplate the concept of sporting the cream and crimson given this program’s track record of grooming successful big men.
BENCH
PG = Sencire Harris | 6’4” | 174 lbs | Junior | West Virginia
RATIONALE: Every team needs a passionate point of attack defender willing to devote themselves to the dirty work. Sencire Harris started all 32x games under DeVries at WVU last year, and showed a ton of promise as a perimeter stopper. He may not be overly pleased in obtaining backup duties, but could feasibly beat Enright in the preseason race for the other starting backcourt gig beside Conwell.
SG = Harun Zrno | 6’7” | 205 lbs | Freshman | Bosnia
RATIONALE: If you have been paying attention, you already know that we are huge Harun Zrno guys over here. Despite his recent decommitment following the departure of Mike Woodson, his representatives have confirmed he is still considering the Hoosiers along with Miami, Maryland and Ohio State. Retaining the Bosnian flamethrower would be immaculate, and adding him to a shooting cabinet that already includes Conwell and DeVries could be catastrophic for opposing defenses.
SF = Harold Woods | 6’5” | 215 lbs | Senior | Northeastern
RATIONALE: Hailing from Hammond, Harold Woods is another homegrown Hoosier worthy of a rotation role with this squad. The versatile swingman is a dogged rebounder (7.2 RPG) + competes defensively, and those are the primary areas in which this team would need his focus prioritized.
PF = Trent Sisley | 6’7” | 210 lbs | Freshman | Montverde Academy
RATIONALE: Some wondered if Sisley may follow Zrno’s footsteps in seeking greener pastures without Woody in the mix, but that was quickly laid to rest via his Twitter page shortly after the DeVries hiring.
C = Austin Parks | 6’10” | 260 lbs | Junior | Ohio State
RATIONALE: Parks has yet to exude any type of major potential through his first 2x collegiate campaigns as a Buckeye, but he has the combination of frame, poise and IQ to make a difference for the Hoosiers off the bench. We will call it even for taking Gabe Cupps from us, Ohio State.
RESERVES
PG = KJ Tenner | 6’0” | 166 lbs | Sophomore | West Virginia
RATIONALE: Tenner was not a major component within DeVries’ rotation this year, but the freshman took care of the ball and provided a spark of defensive energy whenever he stepped foot on the floor. This team could do a lot worse than him as a break-in-case-of-emergency option at the point, and it would not be stunning to see him accompany the head coach whom he initially committed to playing college basketball for.
SG = Jake Heidbreder | 6’5” | 180 lbs | Senior | Clemson
RATIONALE: Indiana whiffed on a homegrown sharpshooter from Clemson (Alex Hemenway) a year ago, but let’s hope that history does not repeat itself this time around. Heidbreder struggled to establish himself in the Tigers rotation this year after coming over for the Air Force Academy, but could push some of the aforementioned wings above for playing time if he can continue his ways as an outside marksman (career 38.8% from distance on 4.1 attempts/game).
SF = Jaxon Edwards | 6’5” | 195 lbs | Senior | St. Bonaventure
RATIONALE: Another product of Indianapolis, Edwards would inject another source of energy and toughness. He does not do anything spectacularly, but he fills in the cracks admirably and would be a solid option off the pine.
PF = Jaqualon Roberts | 6’8” | 230 lbs | Junor | Vanderbilt
RATIONALE: Sticking to the trend of homegrown Hoosiers, Roberts was actually born and bred in Bloomington and is a graduate of Bloomington South. Things went a little murkier than he would have liked upon venturing out-of-state to begin his college career, so why not come on home and compete for backup big minutes for the team he idolized as a young hooper?
