BLOOMINGTON — Indiana men’s basketball held its second open practice of the summer Thursday morning.
Mike Schumann attended last week’s session for The Daily Hoosier, so this was my first chance to see the new-look Hoosiers. I’m not going player-by-player the way Mike did last week, but I do have my own observations and notes to share.
As always, exercise caution in reacting to anything from a summer practice over four months away from the season-opener in November.
- The practice, which went roughly two hours, featured the sort of intensity and energy IU displayed in practices last season. It’s undoubtedly the way head coach Darian DeVries runs things.
- Overall, the team play isn’t the crispest basketball you’ll ever see. Guys who will be serious contributors in 2026-27 — along with freshmen and more fringe roster pieces — got called out by DeVries for being in wrong spots or not executing plays correctly. Of course, that should be expected for a workout in late June with such a new crop of players, so this isn’t meant as a revealing criticism or any sort of indictment on the team. Those kinks work themselves out as time goes on.
- Vaughn Karvala’s athleticism is what stands out the most on highlight reels, but don’t sleep on his shooting ability. Karvala has a really smooth and fluid shot release that could turn into a real weapon as he develops. He needs to put on weight to really compete in the Big Ten, and he said after practice that’s his main focus this summer. But most freshmen come in and need to bulk up, so it’s not an issue specific to Karvala. His long-term potential is pretty easy to see.
- The size difference between last year’s team and the squad in Bloomington now is very noticeable. 6-foot-11 Aiden Sherrell is a versatile player who can run the 5 on his own, but can also effectively play alongside 7-foot-2 Samet Yigitoglu. Sherrell’s skill set can make that duo work without overcrowding the post, as he can step outside the arc and play face up.
- Yigitoglu may have stood out more than anyone else in practice. Karvala called him “the biggest dude I’ve ever seen,” and it checks out. After he threw down some dunks, some teammates and coaches called him “The Turkish Tower.” The SMU transfer just brings a totally different profile to the Hoosiers compared to anything they had last season, and he could unlock so much on both ends of the court. It’s hard to remember the last time Indiana had a guy like that — Yigitoglu moves a little better than Oumar Ballo did, and Kel’el Ware was just a different style of player. Thomas Bryant might be the closest comparison, at least in recent years — but Bryant was still four inches shorter than Yigitoglu. He looks like he could cause some real problems for opponents this year.
- Prince-Alexander Moody is a big personality on the court. He brings a lot of energy and good vibes, and teammates seem to feed off it a bit. That’s notable for a freshman.
- Indiana’s backcourt looks more athletic and quick than what last year’s team had. Hoosier guards last season were rarely able to create for themselves, but Markus Burton and Jaeden Mustaf both look capable of doing that. Both guys have some really nice burst.
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