Darian DeVries and the Indiana Hoosiers got some good news on Tuesday, as German center Felix Kiehlneker committed to IU. Owning a 7'1" frame, Kiehlneker is the second member of Indiana's 2027 recruiting class, joining 6'4" point guard Chase Branham.
DeVries has remained active on the recruiting trail over the past several months, and is still searching for his first signature commit at Indiana. He has yet to land a 5-star prospect during his tenure in Bloomington, and his efforts to do so just took a hit.
5-star Indiana target Darius Wabbington moves up visit to Illinois
On Tuesday, Joe Tipton of On3 reported that 5-star Indiana target Darius Wabbington is moving his official visit to Illinois up from October 23 to this weekend, starting on Friday, September 18.
5⭐️ Darius Wabbington has moved up his official visit to Illinois to this weekend, he told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) September 15, 2026
The 6-foot-11 senior was originally scheduled to visit the Illini in late October. https://t.co/Q0sbtjjLZY pic.twitter.com/dnPI920T3k
The move is worrisome for Indiana, as Illinois is emerging as a serious contender for Wabbington's services. It's clear that Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini are turning up the heat in Wabbington's recruitment, which gives DeVries and company another hurdle to clear in their efforts to land the coveted 5-star recruit. Underwood has turned Illinois into an annual Final Four contener, and seeing Wabbington go to Champaign over Bloomington would be a tough pill to swallow for Hoosier basketball fans.
Wabbington's official visit schedule is already underway. He visited the Hoosiers back on September 3, and was in attendance for Indiana's 52-16 win over North Texas on the gridiron. IU fans are hoping that DeVries and company made a lasting impression. After visiting Illinois this weekend, Wabbington is slated to visit Arizona on September 25, North Carolina on October 30, and Texas on November 6. He has already ruled out Louisville as a final contender.
Wabbington is currently ranked as the No. 12 overall player and No. 2 center in the country for the 2027 recruiting class according to 247Sports.
The frontcourt remains a top recruiting priority for Darian DeVries
Landing a commitment from Kiehlneker on Tuesday, and the heavy pursuit of Wabbington, shows that the frontcourt remains a top priority for DeVries on the recruiting trail. Indiana's frontcourt struggles last season played a major role in missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the 8th time in 10 years. The Hoosiers didn't rebound well, settled for far too many one-and-done trips, and didn't have a reliable shot-blocking rim protector down low.
DeVries tried to change that for the 2026-27 season by bringing in 6'11" power forward Aiden Sherrell from Alabama and 7'2" center Samet Yigitoglu from SMU via the transfer portal. Those are solid additions, and figure to lead to a vastly improved IU frontcourt, and hopefully, more wins.
Looking ahead, DeVries is focused on strengthening Indiana’s frontcourt through high school recruiting. While transfer portal additions can provide an immediate boost, building a consistent pipeline of talent from the high school ranks could pay major dividends for the Hoosiers down the road. Landing a player of Wabbington's caliber and potential would go a long way in that effort.
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