We have now hit 20 days until the Indiana basketball season tips off against Morehead State on November 7th. As we hit the 20-day mark in our countdown, we will now reveal the Top 20 Hoosiers of all time.
You can’t tell the story of college basketball history without Indiana University, Bob Knight, and plenty of Hoosier all-time greats.
Indiana basketball has one of the greatest storied history in college basketball and history, and with that history comes some of the best players in college basketball history as well. From Steve Alford to Alan Henderson to Isiah Thomas, the Hoosiers history has been quite the story for the past 80 years of college basketball.
Some of the most important names listed include Christian Watford, Keith Smart, Victor Oladipo, and Jimmy Rayl. With 20 spots remaining, which all-time Hoosiers land in the top five? Read to find out!
Top 20 Indiana basketball players of all-time
Indiana basketball career stats: 7.0 PPG, 4.3 AST, 47.8 FG%, 127 GP
In his senior season, Michael Lewis averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 29 games played. His 5.3 assists per game in 1999-00 was the highest in the Big Ten and, at the time, the sixth-highest average in Indiana basketball history. Statistics aside, Lewis finished his career as one of the best point guards in school history.
In his 127 career games played, Lewis only started in 66 games, yet averaged 24.9 minutes per game in his career. In his six career NCAA Tournament games, Lewis averaged 20.5 minutes played, 3.8 points, and 4.0 assists.
If there was anyone that cared about basketball and put all of it out there, it was Michael Lewis and Bob Knight (see below).
Lewis ranks in the top 10 in the following statistical categories in Indiana basketball history after his four seasons in Bloomington:
- Free throw percentage: 79.8% (8th)
- Assists: 545 (2nd)
- Assists per game: 4.3 (5th)
- Assists per game (single season): 5.3 in 1999-00 (7th)
Lewis, the Jasper, Indiana, native is now the head coach of Ball State University as of 2022-23. The former UCLA assistant coach was hired because of his success as an assistant under Mick Cronin at UCLA over the past three seasons. At UCLA, Lewis assisted the team to a 68-29 (.701) record, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and one Final Four appearance.