Darian DeVries continues to rebuild Indiana's 2026-27 roster through the transfer portal. DeVries added guards Jaeden Mustaf, Darren Harris, and Markus Burton on Monday, and he found the size he's been looking for with his latest addition.
Indiana adds center Samet Yigitoglu through the transfer portal
On Tuesday afternoon, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reported that SMU transfer center Samet Yigitoglu has committed to Indiana.
Yigitoglu is one of the most coveted big men in the portal, coming in as the No. 7 center and No. 37 overall player on the market according to 247Sports. 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 games with the Mustangs. He also shot an impressive 62.8% from the floor.
He also brings plenty of experience to Bloomington, as he's started in all 66 games he's played with the Mustangs over the last two seasons. A rising junior, Yigitoglu comes to Bloomington with two years of eligibility remaining.
NEWS: SMU transfer Samet YiÄŸitoÄŸlu has committed to Indiana, Tolga Beritan and Sean Kennedy tell DraftExpress.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 14, 2026
The 7'2, 22-year-old Turkish center was one of the most coveted big men in the portal after averaging 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 29 minutes per game. pic.twitter.com/ISR1KpcpNP
Samet Yigitoglu is the true center Indiana desperately needed
This past season, DeVries learned the hard way about what it takes to win in the Big Ten. By his own admission, the first year Hoosier head coach was surprised by the size and physicality of Big Ten power forwards and centers. The Hoosiers lacked the size and athleticism at the 4 and 5 positions, which led to some rough rebounding numbers.
IU finished the regular season ranked 13th in the Big Ten with 32.4 total rebounds per game, and was dead last 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.
DeVries stated that building up IU's front court was a top priority this offseason, and the addition of Yigitoglu is a great place to start in that effort. Yigitoglu's 7.9 rebounds per game easily clear IU's leading rebounder from this past season, Tucker DeVries, who averaged 5.3 boards per game. Yigitoglu also grabbed 3.6 offensive rebounds per game, which can help the Hoosiers find more second chance opportunities on the offensive end.
DeVries needed a true center, and now he's got one. DeVries isn't done yet, but adding Yigitoglu gives IU the size and rebounding ability it desperately missed last season.
As DeVries continues to build Indiana's 2026-27 roster, be sure to follow along all the latest developments with our 2026 Indiana Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker.
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