Mike Woodson's strong take on Indiana basketball's transfer portal recruits

05/05/2024 19:57

Indiana basketball has utilized the transfer portal to their full capacity and acquired four players that are looking to help them out and improve after finishing sixth in the Big Ten. Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson spoke about the newcomers as the program is on a hot streak as besides getting four productive players, they also got a five-star freshman in Bryson Tucker.

New Hoosiers center Oumar Ballo

Starting with Oumar Ballo, the Hoosiers got a player that is seven-foot, 260 pounds and gives them a big-time difference maker at the center position who got All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 defensive team honors. Last season with the University of Arizona Wildcats, he averaged 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game as he has one year of eligibility left with Woodson talking highly of his “experience playing at the highest level” according to Daniel Flick of IDSNews.com.

"Oumar is a dominating post presence on both ends of the floor with a winning background,” Woodson said. “His experience playing at the highest level will elevate our program. He is a big fella with soft touch around the rim, good hands, and solid footwork. He is very physical and is a perfect fit in our system and our league. We are really happy to welcome Oumar and his family to Bloomington."

Myles Rice looking to boost the Indiana basketball offense

The Indiana basketball team also got Myles Rice, a guard coming from Washington State University with three years left of eligibility as he averaged 14.8 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. Subsequently, that success led to first team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors as Woodson described him as “savvy” and a “three-level scorer.”

"Myles is a savvy, downhill guard that really succeeds in pick-and-roll situations,” Woodson said. “He is a three-level scorer that makes the right play consistently, whether that is getting to the rim or finding the open man. He is going to be a huge help for our ballclub, and we are very excited to welcome him and his family to Bloomington."

There have been some health issues with Rice, but has since overcame them as per Flick, he was “redshirted twice at Washington State, the first for developmental purposes and second because of Hodgkin's Lymphoma.” There’s no doubt that Rice has the chance to be highly productive for the Hoosiers.

Kanaan Carlyle brings much needed traits to the Hoosiers

The third player the Hoosiers got is Kanaan Carlyle who is coming from Stanford University as he was a true freshman last season, averaging 11.5 points, 2.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 32 percent from the field. Woodson has praised his different traits like his “length, quickness, and mentality.”

"Kanaan is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands with the length and skillset to create scoring chances for himself and others,” Carlyle said per IDSNews.com. “His ability off the bounce pairs nicely with his shooting stroke. His length, quickness, and mentality give him the capability to be a high-impact defender for our ballclub. We are really excited to welcome him and his family to IU."

Some much needed three-point shooting for the Indiana basketball team

The final of the four transfer portal acquisitions the Indiana basketball team obtained was University of Illinois forward Luke Goode who is six-foot, seven inches. Having one year remaining of eligibility, he actually is connected in some way to the Hoosiers as “the Fort Wayne, Indiana, native has extensive ties…headlined by his father, Craig Goode, and uncle, Trent Green, who played football at IU in the 1990s.”

Goode averaged 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arch as he is known for his ability from the three-point line. This was a main point that Woodson said during his time with the media as he talked about him being a “knockdown 3-point shooter.”

"Luke is a knockdown 3-point shooter that provides length and rebounding ability from the wing position,: Woodson said. “He comes from a very athletic background with deep family ties to this University. He has competed at the highest level of the Big Ten and is a player we will count on to help us stretch the floor. We are excited to bring his family back to Hoosier Nation."

Three-point shooting is going to be vital as “Indiana ranked near the bottom of Division I in 3-point attempt rate and percentage of points from 3-pointers last season, making double-digit 3s just once all season and averaging 5.0 makes per game” per ESPN.

The Indiana basketball team finished 19-14 last season with an even 10-10 record in conference play as they finished their year with a second round exit in the Big Ten tournament with a loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Consequently, they are looking to be much better with the four acquisitions as they have the ability to make an immediate impact.

The post Mike Woodson’s strong take on Indiana basketball’s transfer portal recruits appeared first on ClutchPoints.