Indiana received a wave of good news on Wednesday, as a coach, player and now recruit have all remained committed to the program.
On the recruiting front, class of 2022 guard C.J. Gunn remains firmly committed to IU basketball, his father first told Kyle Neddenriep of the Indianapolis Star on Wednesday.
Gunn joins assistant coach Kenya Hunter and transfer guard Parker Stewart as a trio of individuals who decided to stay with the program on Wednesday following the news on Sunday that Mike Woodson is the new head coach.
Gunn’s father Christopher told The Daily Hoosier on Sunday that the family wanted to meet Woodson prior to making a statement on whether he would reopen his recruitment.
Via multiple conversations with the Gunn family this week, Woodson conveyed that Indiana continues to want the long, athletic junior guard to join the program.
“We were thrilled that Coach Woodson communicated that he wanted C.J. to remain part of the Hoosier family,” Gunn’s father Christopher told The Daily Hoosier on Wednesday evening. “We’re looking forward to building the rest of the relationship with him.”
Woodson conveyed to the family that he had watched some some film on Gunn and conducted research prior to making the calls. Meanwhile, the Gunn family was receiving good reports on Woodson from their inner circle.
“When Coach Woodson got the job there were a few people who called me proactively, unsolicited by him, and said ‘Hey, this is a great move for C.J., great move for you guys,’ and that meant a lot to me, because the folks that did that, I trust,” Christopher Gunn said.
“They told me how great of a guy and straight of a shooter Coach Woodson is,” he continued.
The elder Gunn did not have any concerns about Woodson’s lack of coaching experience at the college level.
“He is a leader of men. Yes, there is a difference between grown men in the NBA and young men in college, but I don’t have any concerns with him bridging that gap,” Christopher Gunn said. “The positives of what he brings to the table are off the charts.”
The 6-foot-5 Lawrence North High School product originally committed to IU in February when Archie Miller was still the head coach.
Gunn is averaging around 14 points while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range as a junior. He was named an Indiana junior All-Star earlier this week.
Lawrence North will play Carmel on Saturday for the Class 4A state title at 8:30 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
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