Mike Woodson Challenge Over His Newly Assembled Squad.
With a roster rich with talent, Woody is surely in store for some difficult decisions as he works to establish an effective rotation while keeping his players happy.
As he begins his preparations in constructing how the minutes will be allocated, he will need to begin by identifying each respective players’ role within the overall infrastructure of the squad.
But it also has a lot to do with defining the most talented/skilled guys on the court who stand to benefit the team in terms of the most important aspect of the game of basketball: WINNING
Mike Woodson has assembled a team that is legitimately 12-deep. But of the 12, who is at the top of the Hoosier hierarchy?
12. Langdon Hatton
Of this entire collection of skilled tradesman, Hatton is probably the one who initially has the longest path to steady playing time. Sure, his 6’10”, 240 pound frame bode well for his chances of spelling Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau from battling down low in the trenches from time to time, but the Bellarmine product will have to make the most of his opportunities as they come throughout his senior season.
Were it not for Indiana’s highly crowded guard/wing rotation, Anthony Leal would likely be due for a much larger role in the season to come. While he may not have put up massive numbers in 2023-2024 (aside from his 47.4% splash rate from 3), he definitely had some massive moments in clutch time. He should still see a steady diet of minutes this year, just not a major upgrade in terms of his role.
Jakai Newton may not be highly rated on this list right now, but it would be shocking if he is not a fan favorite in 2024-2025. His tantalizing blend of athleticism and tenacity should slot him into a nice role as a defensive ball hawk and offensive spark plug who showcased the ability to score from all 3 levels in high school.
9. Gabe Cupps
If you have not yet seen any of the offseason photos/footage of this team as it begins ramping up it’s offseason workload, then you have missed obvious evidence of endless behind the scenes grind in the form of Gabe Cupps. The chef looks all caps YOLKED heading into his sophomore season, but could be fated for a similar role stagnation to Leal given the new guys coming in who should presumably begin the year ahead of him in the backcourt rotation.
Luke Goode
Luke Goode is IU’s unquestioned sniper, and if his shots are falling consistently he should be set up for a consistent 20-25 minutes a night. At 6’7″, 210 pounds he has the size to play both forward positions and the underrated rebounding abilities to potentially hold up at the 5 in certain matchups. Of all Indiana’s players, Goode probably has the most defined skillset/role on this team.
Trey Galloway
One of the few silver linings of the 2023-2024 season for Indiana men’s basketball was the massive leap that Trey Galloway took as a playmaker. The Big Ten’s 9th highest dime dropper in terms of nightly average was an absolute breath of fresh air for a team that sorely lacked any sense of life.
With Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle now in town plus Gabe Cupps also back in the fold, Gallo will not hold nearly as much responsibility in terms of offensive facilitation. But his responsibility as an energizer bunny will remain.