In the heart of basketball country, Indiana University is embarking on a bold experiment under new coach Darian DeVries. After seven scholarship players entered the transfer portal, DeVries has rebuilt almost entirely from scratch with an unconventional approach, recruiting standout performers from mid-major conferences to compete in the unforgiving Big Ten.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for a program haunted by fading glory. Indiana basketball, once synonymous with championship contention, has missed the NCAA tournament 13 times in the last 31 years. DeVries arrives with a proven track record of winning at Drake but faces a pivotal question, can mid-major stars translate their success to one of college basketball’s most demanding stages?
Darian DeVries’ Thrift Store Gamble For Indiana
“Shopping in a portal is like going to the thrift store. You can find something and it’s worth a lot cuz it’s cheap or you can spend a whole lot of money for something and bring it home and it falls apart as soon as you freaking sit on it or attempt to use it” noted RC on a recent basketball podcast. “That’s what the portal is. You’re shopping in the thrift store. Some people hit, some don’t.”
DeVries’ shopping spree has brought in an intriguing collection of talent. Tucker DeVries, the coach’s son and two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, headlines the group despite playing just nine games at West Virginia last season.
Reed Bailey arrives from Davidson after earning first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors with impressive shooting numbers.
Lamar Wilkerson from Sam Houston brings elite scoring credentials after averaging 20.5 points and shooting 44.5% from three. Sun Belt Player of the Year Tayton Conerway adds defensive prowess, ranking third nationally in steals while contributing 14.2 points and 4.8 assists per game at Troy.
The Personality Test
“How engaging is he gonna be with the fan base? Like that, to me, is what Indiana needs. It’s like you have to be more flamboyant,” said basketball analyst McCall. “You can’t just be a coach that you know what, I’m not going to get on X. I’m not going to do this. Like I got to show, I got to get out there.”
Indiana’s recent coaching carousel has been unforgiving. Tom Crean and Archie Miller both failed to meet expectations despite solid coaching credentials. Mike Woodson, despite his NBA pedigree and Hoosier heritage, couldn’t navigate the program back to relevance.
KEEP READING: Darian DeVries Elevates IU Staff With Drew Adams, Former Bradley and Cincinnati Assistant
DeVries must not only win games but win hearts in Bloomington, where basketball passion runs deep and patience runs thin.
The pressure on coaches goes beyond X’s and O’s to include donor relations, media savvy, and the ability to weather criticism when results don’t match expectations.
Early projections reflect cautious optimism. Joe Lunardi’s first 2026 bracketology lists Indiana as a No. 10 seed, while Bart Torvik ranks 38th nationally. For a program with championship banners hanging in Assembly Hall, being a bubble team isn’t enough.
KEEP READING: Darian DeVries Elevates IU Staff With Drew Adams, Former Bradley and Cincinnati Assistant
The ghost of past glory continues to haunt Indiana basketball, where winning alone never tells the whole story.
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