Pat Knight’s first game back in Bloomington as a head coach came a year ago when he faced Mike Woodson’s last team in a preseason exhibition.
The former IU player’s second game coaching at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall was Friday — against an entirely new Indiana roster and staff.
When comparing the last two editions of IU basketball, what stood out to the head coach of the Marian Knights and son of Bob Knight, the late legendary former coach of the Hoosiers?
“Shooting. Shooting. The shooting is hard to cover,” Pat Knight told TDH. “He’s done a great job getting shooting out there. It’s just like in the NBA, you can’t win if you don’t have shooting.”
Indiana made 15 of 30 threes against Knight’s Marian squad. Although it came in an exhibition, the 15 makes were more than any game of the Woodson or Archie Miller eras at IU.
Headlining the shooting display was veteran sniper Tucker DeVries, son of IU head coach Darian, who made 5 of 7 from long range. Tucker is the first coach’s son to play for IU basketball since Pat Knight played for his father from 1990 to 1995.
Although they have that in common, Knight noticed a slight difference between himself and Tucker.
“It’s nice that they finally have a coach’s son that’s worth a shit,” Knight joked.
Tucker does have an impressive resume.
A two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, he produced 1,986 points, 626 rebounds, 283 assists, 139 steals, and 61 blocks in four seasons with Drake and West Virginia.
Knight was an NBA scout for the Indiana Pacers before taking the coaching job at Marian. And in that role he was evaluating Tucker as a potential draft choice.
“When we were looking at him two years ago he was early second-round, or late first, he could move up because he knows how to play and can shoot,” Knight said. “So for me, now, after seeing him these last couple years, you’re looking — and I hate putting pressure on kids — but is he a first-round talent? Yeah. (He) knows how to play. Shooting’s a premium at that level, gym rat — it’s everything coach (Pacers coach Rick) Carlisle would tell us in scouting he likes. Kid’s got a great future.”
Although the bar isn’t too high for Tucker to exceed Pat’s play at IU, every coach at Indiana will be measured against Bob Knight.
Pat Knight believes Tucker’s father Darian has a modern playing style the fans at Indiana will enjoy.
“When he (Darian) was at Drake, West Virginia, I loved watching his film from an offensive standpoint because he recruits versatile players,” Knight said. “It’s not like you have a true point guard, a true wing, a true center — he’s got five guys out there, they can play 5-out, which is where our game’s going to at both the NBA and college level.
“Xs and Os, good person — somebody I think the fans should get behind because he’s going to play the right way, he’s going to recruit the right way, and he’s just a good guy, so that helps. I think the fans are going to really enjoy the ride he gives them from here on out.
“I’m kind of excited to see, obviously there’s a big difference between our levels, but I’m looking forward to seeing their schedule because I love the style. That’s hard to guard. When you got guys who can shoot, they’re unselfish, don’t have guys playing hero ball, they’re moving the ball, defensively they can switch pretty much all five guys, their big guys are agile. To me that’s where basketball’s going.”
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