Wow, what a week. Did you catch all of that? And do you need to catch your breath?
Transitioning to a new head coach is rarely seamless in high major college basketball, and it has been a perhaps somewhat expected but still very bumpy ride for Indiana as the program looks for a new leader.
The search itself has been full of intrigue, with several names rising to prominence. Then it took a strange twist on Friday when seemingly no one was being intellectually honest about the extent of Indiana’s involvement with Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann. And on the roster, there was a wave of entries into the NCAA’s transfer portal this week.
Two weeks into the search for a new head coach, we still don’t know who will take the reins of the IU basketball program, but we do know that job one will be re-recruiting almost all of the current roster. Here is where things stand with all 13 of Indiana’s scholarship players who could be part of the 2021-22 team as of Saturday morning.
NOT EXPECTED TO RETURN
Al Durham participated in senior day, made a public announcement indicating his intent to leave Indiana. and then put his name in the transfer portal. Durham is technically eligible to return after the NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to everyone, but don’t expect a fifth season in Bloomington for the Georgia product.
SIXTH YEAR – UNDECIDED
Joey Brunk is eligible to return for a sixth season overall and third at Indiana. Unlike Durham, Brunk did not participate in senior day. His only public comments about his next move were before Archie Miller was fired, when Brunk indicated he was undecided about playing a sixth season of college basketball. If he likes the coach, we expect Brunk to return.
NBA DRAFT – UNDECIDED
Trayce Jackson-Davis would likely be a second round draft choice in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was asked about his decision to return for a third season or enter the draft after Indiana’s final game and before Miller was fired. Jackson-Davis said at the time that he was undecided and hasn’t commented since. It seems more likely than not that Jackson-Davis has played his final season at IU.
TRANSFER PORTAL – UNDECIDED
Armaan Franklin entered the transfer portal this week. His mother told The Daily Hoosier that he intends to wait and see who Indiana hires as its next head coach prior to making a stay or go decision. Franklin likes Indiana but will no doubt have several interesting options that arise while he is in the portal.
Parker Stewart transferred to Indiana in December and never played for the program. His connection with assistant coach Kenya Hunter was a key factor in his decision to come to Bloomington. Hunter is still with the program, at least until the transition to a new coach is complete. If a new head coach keeps Hunter on the staff, that could bode well for IU retaining Stewart, who told Jeff Goodman he does intend to wait and see who the next coach is.
Jordan Geronimo might be difficult to convince that he should return. His mother told 247Sports that she would like him to be closer to home. Geronimo is close with his fellow Indiana freshmen, but he is the only out of state member of the class, hailing from New Jersey.
Race Thompson is another player like Franklin who has developed well and is likely to find several intriguing options while in the portal. To our knowledge neither Thompson nor his family have commented publicly on his stay or go decision. There have already been reports that his hometown school Minnesota, where his father was a football star, has reached out.
Khristian Lander was the latest to put his name in the portal, with the news breaking on Friday. Lander’s father told The Daily Hoosier that he intends to wait and see who Indiana hires as its next head coach before making a decision. A coach that fits Lander’s preferred style and who is willing to be patient as the 18 year old develops confidence will be key.
RECRUIT – UNDECIDED
Logan Duncomb is Indiana’s lone class of 2021 signee. His father told the Indianapolis Star that the family intends to wait and see who IU hires as its next head coach before making any decisions.
NO PUBLIC COMMENTS
Rob Phinisee and Jerome Hunter have not entered their names in the transfer portal as of this writing and they have made no public comments on their intentions for the 2021-22 season.
EXPECTED TO RETURN
Anthony Leal and Trey Galloway both told Joe Tipton on the day Archie Miller was fired that they intend to return to Indiana irrespective of who the program hires as its next head coach. They have made no further comments since.
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