Forward Noah Clowney is Indiana’s top remaining priority in the class of 2022.
The 6-foot-10 Roebuck, S.C. product took his official visit to Indiana over the weekend. Clowney is a 4-star prospect and currently ranked the No. 65 player overall and the No. 10 power forward in the class according to the 247Sports Composite.
We spoke with Clowney about the highlights of his visit to Bloomington and what’s next with his recruitment.
That Q&A with the Dorman High School senior follows.
TDH: So what is standing out to you from the visit?
Clowney: Really, the people. Great people, great vibes. I like the team, the coaching staff, even the academic people. I just liked all the people, they just seemed really genuine.
TDH: Did they show you a lot of video of how they want to play?
Clowney: They showed me a lot of film from The Bahamas of Coach Woodson coaching and how they played down there. That made a big difference too to be able to see them play. That is something my dad and I talked about was the playing style.
TDH: Were they pointing to anybody in the film saying you can play that role?
Clowney: Yeah, Trayce Jackson-Davis, they were comparing him with what I could do.
TDH: It looked like the fans in Bloomington were well aware that you were in town over the weekend. What kind of impact did that have on you?
Clowney: It was crazy. I walked in a restaurant and they were chanting my name, asking for pictures. It was crazy. A whole lot more than I was expecting. I didn’t know it was like that.
TDH: IU 2022 commit Kaleb Banks took his official visit at the same time. Did you have much of a chance to interact with him while you were in town?
Clowney: Yeah, we talked a lot. We were out all night. Me, him and another commit, C.J. Gunn. We hung out a lot, and also Khristian Lander and Scoop (Tamar Bates).
(Note: Clowney and Banks already knew each other after playing at the NBPA top-100 camp last month)
TDH: Did anything stand out when it came to the facilities or anything non-basketball related?
Clowney: The facilities were all top-tier, they stood out. But the main thing that stood out and attracted me the most was the vibes that people gave off.
TDH: That’s the second time you’ve mentioned the positive vibe you got from the people. Can you give an example?
Clowney: When I’m talking to people (during his recruitment), a lot of people are going to tell you what you want to hear, but when I’m talking to them (the IU staff), I feel like they are telling me what they really like, and they really mean what they say, and their words seem more genuine than a lot of the others. It felt that way at least.
TDH: Indiana has two guards and a wing in their 2022 class so far. Do you see a good fit to come in and get some early minutes?
Clowney: Yeah, it’s nice. I know if I go to Indiana I will get minutes. Minutes are not the problem anywhere I would go, I don’t think. I feel like minutes are earned not given.
TDH: I know you have three more visits coming up, what are going to be the key factors you are looking at to help you make this decision?
Clowney: The playing-style for sure. There also has to be good people all around me, staff and teammates, and where I feel most at home. I don’t like to be away from home. But when I was there (at IU) I was having fun. Usually I would be ready to get back home but there I would have stayed more nights because I was enjoying it.
(Note: Clowney is planning to visit Florida on Sept. 3, Virginia Tech on Sept. 10 and Alabama on Sept. 24.)
TDH: Is the distance a school is away from home going to impact you at all?
Clowney: No, I’m not going to let that impact my decision. Florida and Indiana are both like an eight hour drive, Virginia Tech is like four hours and some change, and Alabama is like a five hour drive, so none of them are really close.
TDH: Do you have a specific timeline set out for when you would like to make a decision?
Clowney: I am probably going to commit sometime in October. Probably late October.
To see Clowney’s TDH profile page, GO HERE.
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