¿WHO STAYS + WHO GOES FOR INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL?

WRITTEN + EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER

We already know that Mike Woodson will not be back in Bloomington next season. That sentiment rings true for Oumar Ballo, Luke Goode, Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, Langdon Hatton and Dallas James whom will have each exhausted their NCAA eligibility timelines at the conclusion of the current campaign.

On the other side of the spectrum, we do know that incoming frosh frontcourt gem Trent Sisley + potential European diamond in the rough Harun Zrno will in fact be sporting the candy stripes in the campaign to come. On the flip side of those 2x certainties, the future of some of the present team’s eligible returnees remains inconclusive.

Could Woody’s departure signal a potential exodus from some of the guys whom he recruited?

Woodson’s tenure within the walls of Assembly Hall began back in the Spring of 2021. Then five-star recruit Malik Reneau committed to the Hoosiers the following Spring of ‘22. Fellow five-star recruit Mackenzie Mgbako (+ ESPN’s 88th ranked prospect in the same class Gabe Cupps x four-star freak athlete Jakai Newton) followed in Reneau’s footsteps the following Spring of ‘23. Last Spring, Woody’s well-documented heist of an offseason netted extremely high praises. He kicked things off by scoring ANOTHER five-star recruit (Woody’s 4th such acquisition at the helm for the Hoosiers) in the form of silky smooth swingman Bryson Tucker. The skipper followed that home run up with a grand slam of sorts, scooping Myles Rice (2023-2024 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year) + Oumar Ballo (arguably the top player available in last year’s transfer portal) + Kanaan Carlyle (who still has loads of potential in spite of a sluggish season thus far) + Luke Goode (who has been nothing shy of a revelation for this team recently) + Langdon Hatton/Dallas James (collectively added some much needed size up front).

Being that they signed up to play for this program under Woodson’s guidance, it would not be stunning to see some of the potential returnees seek greener pastures in separate stables at this season’s conclusion. With that in mind, here is how we foresee things playing out as it pertains to who stays + who goes.

FULL DISCLOSURE: THESE ARE JUST PREDICTIONS AND ARE NOT BASED ON ANY INSIDE INFORMATION

WHO STAYS

• MALIK RENEAU

• MYLES RICE

• BRYSON TUCKER

• GABE CUPPS

  
  With next year being his senior season, Reneau should have a chip on his shoulder as he aims to go out with a bang. He has been solid this year, but has yet to showcase any signs of genuine expansion when comparing this year to last (he was better in the latter). That could change if the team’s future head coach slots Reneau in a lineup more suited to provide the southpaw the space which he likes to operate with down low in the trenches.

  That same desire to prove himself should reside within Myles Rice’s inner spirit, as it has been a see-sawing inaugural season at Indiana for the floor general. Still, he has not been terrible by any means and should only stand to improve given time. Things have been similarly volatile for the aforementioned Tucker as he has battled through struggles with consistency while acclimating himself to this level of competition. There could/should/will be a much larger role on this team awaiting him in 2025-2026, and mark him down as one of the top breakout candidates across the country if he does in fact return.

  Regardless of their underwhelming onsets, there is no denying the tantalizing talent that the pair of perimeter threats holster.

  And then there is Cupps, who was sadly ruled out for the year as he recovers from a knee operation following just 4x appearances. Despite the difficult situation that his ailment placed him in, the young guard’s energetic passion + love for his teammates has been on clear display all year long via his steady celebrations from the sidelines.

WHO GOES

• MACKENZIE MGBAKO

• KANAAN CARLYLE

• JAKAI NEWTON

The most controversial prediction of the bunch, Mgbako’s fate is the most mysterious on this list. While he was projected as a 2025 1st-Round pick back in the preseason, his name has dropped as low as selection #56 in some of the latest mock drafts. Whether he forgoes his eligibility or not, a change of scenery could do some good for his stock next season regardless. The 6’9” Jersey boy has the skillset + prototypical physique to blossom into a solid NBA combo forward, but has struggled to sprout his wings across 2x seasons of nearly identical output at Indiana.

Nobody on Indiana’s roster has fumbled in finding their footing more than Kanaan Carlyle, who was supposed to supply an electric source of microwave scoring ability. Give him credit for the effort he exudes defensively, but his performance on the sexier end has been supremely subpar (4.2 PPG | 1.3 APG | 29.0% FG | 23.4% 3FG | 42.9% FT). Of these candidates, he seems like the most poised to jump ship as he has found himself on the outside of this team’s rotation looking in off-and-on this year.

In the case of fellow Georgia product Jakai Newton, things have simply not gone according to plan thus far in his collegiate career. With so much of his game centered around his jaw-dropping athleticism, his ongoing knee/injury issues are a bit concerning in regards to his futuristic outlook. Perhaps he will seek a closer campus to his Covington roots, or maybe he winds up taking some indefinite time off to focus on his health.

HOPEFULLY, we see all of these dudes donning the same cream and crimson uniforms next season. If the team’s recent success extends onward and translates to some dancing in the weeks to come, the chances of our hopes coming to fruition will be much likelier. Only time will reveal the outcome of these guys’ respective fates.