Indiana Basketball: What the latest Jerome Hunter update means moving forward
By Alec Lasley
Archie Miller addressed the Jerome Hunter injury situation recently and how it could impact the Indiana basketball program moving forward.
It has been an extremely tough journey for redshirt freshman Jerome Hunter as he has been dealing with a medical condition ever since putting on the Indiana basketball jersey roughly a year ago.
Earlier this week, Archie Miller addressed a group of alumni at a booster event at Huber Winery touching on the Hoosiers offseason and gave an update on Jerome Hunter.
In what was expected, it seems as though Jerome Hunter is still a long way away from getting back on the court.
Archie Miller says Jerome Hunter is continuing with rehab and is doing more activities, but is “far, far away from having any indication” of whether he’ll be available this season.
— Mike Miller (@MikeMillerSTL) May 29, 2019
While he is still going through his rehab and progressing, even “elevating his activity level and doing a lot more” as said by head coach Archie Miller, everyone is moving forward very cautiously with his condition.
The 2018 Mr. Ohio basketball finalist had surgery on his lower leg in November before the season started and in turn was a huge piece missed by Indiana on the court last year.
A former top-60 prospect in the 2018 class, Hunter averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds a game during his senior season, leading his school to the State Championship game.
With this news coming now nearly seven months after a reported surgery, it is very concerning for this season and more importantly his future with Indiana.
How exactly does Indiana move on? They lean on the roster they have now and put an emphasis on the 2020 class.
With just 11 scholarship players as of now, and no signs of signing another prospect in 2019, the Hoosiers will have six scholarships, depending on decisions of some players as well, to use in 2020.
Going hard after numerous prospects in the 2020 class, this gives Archie Miller multiple scholarships to play with, looking to bring in a big class to offset the majority of his 2018 class no longer on the court.
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Miller touched on that by saying, “To be able to have a bigger 2020 recruiting opportunity is exciting to us.”
Though Hunter hasn’t had any setbacks recently, he still has a ways to go before returning to full action and that has a larger impact than just on the court for this upcoming season.