When we first relayed the news as a possibility in October, it was really nothing more than an idea.
Indiana needed another primary ball handler on its roster. Could their top point guard recruiting target move up to the class of 2020?
First things first, could Indiana convince Khristian Lander to stay home and play college basketball in Bloomington?
Since then the “where” question has been answered. Khristian Lander of course verbally committed to IU two weeks ago.
Now the Evansville, Ind. based point guard is working on getting up to Bloomington as soon as possible, and the story continues to evolve.
At this point, it is not a question of whether or not Lander wants to reclassify. He “absolutely” does want to join the IU basketball program in the fall according to his father Keith Lander in an interview last week on Indiana Sports Beat.
Why move up a year? The rational for the top-rated point guard in the junior class is simple.
“I feel that I can come straight in and contribute,” Khristian Lander said during the interview.
With the decision to attempt to reclassify made, what remains is a feasibility assessment, and then completion of the requirements that would make Lander eligible to play this fall.
“We’re just looking into making sure we know exactly what needs to happen for him to reclassify, and understanding is it feasible, and the timing for it,” Keith Lander said in the intereview. “We just had a meeting last week with the counselor and the academic people, trying to get that thing all lined out for maybe even taking one more course his last grading period so he can have one or two more for the summer so as he’s playing AAU.
“That process is being lined out so we know exactly what he is going to take and when he’s going to take those things. It’s very much in the process of being taken care of and being lined out for us to move forward with that reclassification.
“It shouldn’t be too long. Once they get this all lined out we’ll be able to figure out if that’s something that we are definitely going to move forward with and how were are going to move forward doing that. That stuff is definitely going to come out soon, probably within the next couple weeks to know if we can definitely do it or not.”
Since that interview came news this weekend from Nick Baumgart (of Rivals) that Lander is attempting to complete all of the reclassification requirements by the end of May.
That timing is important because it would mean that Lander could join the IU program at the same time as the other members of the 2020 class. Moreover, Lander would have a full five months with the IU training staff and his teammates to prepare him for the rigors of college basketball.
This latest news also suggests that reclassification to 2020 for Lander is not only feasible, but likely at this point.
If Lander joins Indiana this fall he would be the 13th scholarship player on the roster assuming that no one transfers off the team. College basketball teams are allowed 13 scholarship athletes.
Lander is the No. 1 rated point guard in the class of 2021 and also the No. 1 junior in the state of Indiana. His F.J. Reitz high school team advanced to the regional round of the IHSAA Class 4A tournament.
Reitz will face Greenwood on Saturday morning at Seymour High School. If they win that game, Lander could face No. 1 Bloomington South and future teammate Anthony Leal in the regional final on Saturday night.
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