The moves Darian DeVries has made to the Indiana basketball roster for 2026-27 have Hoosier fans fired up. DeVries has secured a talented portal class that is garnering plenty of hype. In total, IU has added seven players through the portal, and the group is ranked as the No. 6 portal class in the country by On3.
2 major predictions for Indiana basketball transfer Markus Burton in 2026-27
One of the most significant additions to Indiana's roster this offseason is former SMU center Samet Yigitoglu. Owning a 7'2" frame, Yigitoglu is the true center that Indiana lacked last season. He figures to make an immediate impact in Bloomington. Here are three things all Indiana basketball fans need to know about Yigitoglu as he enters his first season with the Cream and Crimson.
Samet Yigitoglu was one of the most coveted big men in the portal
Yigitoglu garnered plenty of attention from Power 4 teams across the country when he decided to test the transfer portal waters. This past season, the 7'2" center averaged 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game over the course of 29 contests with the Mustangs. He also shot an impressive 62.8% from the floor. Those numbers made him one of the most coveted big men in the portal. At the time of his commitment to IU back on April 14, Yigitoglu was ranked as the No. 7 center and No. 37 overall player on the market according to 247Sports.
This past season, Indiana's lack of a true center doomed the Hoosiers during Big Ten play. By his own admission, DeVries was surprised by the size and physicality of Big Ten power forwards and centers. The Hoosiers didn't have the size and athleticism to compete at the 4 and 5 positions, but Yigitoglu's presence helps change that instantly.
Yigitoglu instantly boosts Indiana's rebounding ability on both ends of the floor
Consistent rebounding on both ends of the floor was tough to come by for Indiana this past season. In DeVries' first season, the Hoosiers ranked 13th in the Big Ten with 32.4 total rebounds per game. Things were even worse on the offensive glass. During the regular season, Indiana finished dead last in the conference with just 8.2 offensive rebounds per game. Indiana's poor rebounding ability on both ends of the floor played a big role in the Hoosiers missing out on the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season.
Yigitoglu brought down 7.9 rebounds per game this past season, which easily clears IU's leading rebounder, Tucker DeVries, who averaged 5.3 boards per game. Yigitoglu is also a froce on the offensive glass, as he averaged 3.6 offensive rebounds per game. His size and strong rebounding ability can help the Hoosiers generate more second chance opportunities in 2026-27.
Yigitoglu brings plenty of experience to Bloomington
Experience has also been a main area of focus for DeVries when utilizing the transfer portal. In fact, six of Indiana's seven portal additions this offseason have multiple seasons of high-major experience. Yigitoglu has started all 66 games of his collegiate career through two seasons at SMU. He's averaged 26.7 minutes per game in those contests, and that experience is exactly what DeVries was looking for.
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