Indiana Basketball: Is Khristian Lander ready for the Big Ten now?

Is Khristian Lander ready for the Big Ten now?

I want to say this first off, I really appreciated Khristian Lander classifying up to become part of Indiana’s 2020 recruiting class. I think he did so with Indiana’s good interest at heart. I believe he wanted to fill a need. He’s a great young man for being willing to do that.

With that said, bless his heart, the young man had a rough freshmen season, in what should have been his senior year of high school. Did his decision pan out well? Well, by most measurable standards we would have to say no. His age definitely showed. He just wasn’t ready.

However, his freshmen struggles, in the long run, could be the best thing that ever happened to him. It had to get his attention. It had to show him just how hard you have to work to be a good player in the Big Ten. Now he knows. And if I were a betting man, I would say his work this offseason has been stellar. That is just speculation on my part. I don’t have any secret sources inside the program telling me this. At least not yet.

But if it is not true, it would be a real head-scratcher for me. He has everything to gain by working his tail off. If Khristian’s dream is to play in the NBA someday, he is already behind the eight-ball. It can still happen, but if he struggles this year like he did last, his dream is in definite danger of slipping through his fingers.

"I personally don’t see him letting that happen. The year of experience that he has under his belt is going to help him tremendously going into this upcoming season."

Indiana Hoosiers Basketball

In his 2020-21 freshmen season, Lander only played 10.2 minutes a game. Hardly enough for any of his other numbers to mean much of anything. He only averaged 2.1 points a game and shot a chilly 25.7% from the field, including 27.3% from behind the arc.

However, he did shoot 87.5% from the free-throw line on a very small sampling size. Nevertheless, it shows that he has a good shooting touch from the line. That is always encouraging to me. If a guy can at least shoot free throws at a high clip, I feel like he has the potential to be able to knock down other spot-up jump shots.

I personally think that Lander’s problems with his shot last season were just confidence-related. I think he looked like a high school senior playing in a league full of men–which is exactly what he was.

What could we see from Lander this upcoming season? Well, my biggest hope is that he has regained his confidence and that the game slows down for him. That is key. But I also think that Mike Woodson‘s offensive scheme is going to be much more suited to Lander’s playing style. I think Lander can thrive in the pick and roll game if it becomes a better-utilized part of Indiana’s offense.

Do I expect Lander to challenge Xavier Johnson for the starting point guard position? I don’t. I think Johnson’s size, strength, experience, and playing style are just too much of what Indiana needs on the court. However, if Johnson gets into early foul trouble or tweaks an ankle or something like that, Lander is the next man up, in my opinion.

I am not forgetting that we have Rob Phinisee. I just see Khristian as the better option as the backup at point guard. I will explain my thinking on Rob Phinisee in my next installment in this series of articles. He is next up.

My biggest concern with Khristian Lander is honestly not his offense. I think that will come around. I think Coach Woodson will be great for his confidence. My bigger concern is Lander’s defense. He really struggled on the defensive end as a freshman.

Hopefully, his summer strength training is helping him to put on a few pounds of muscle, and to develop some additional strength. He really needs that if he is going to be able to guard other Big Ten backcourt players and be able to keep them out of the lane. It is a physical league, and Khristian just wasn’t ready for it last year. And that is not a surprise. He should have been a senior in high school, not a freshman trying to keep Purdue’s guards in check.

All in all, though, I am still optimistic about Lander’s future and his potential development. I think he has a world of talent, and the drive to get better. I am glad he decided to remain a Hoosier. I think his best days are ahead of him.