In the current world of NIL and the transfer portal, major roster overhauls are becoming the norm in college basketball. Players are on the move more than ever, which leads to new faces joining new teams in big numbers every offseason.
As Darian DeVries prepares for his second season at the helm of the Indiana basketball program, he will have just one returning players from last year's team. That comes in the form of soon-to-be-sophomore Trent Sisley, who is coming off an up-and-down freshman campaign in Bloomington.
As the lone familiar face on Indiana's 2026-27 roster, rising expectations continue to follow Sisley as he prepares for his sophomore season. But DeVries has Sisley's back as he looks to carve out a larger role with the Hoosiers next season.
Darian DeVries gives big vote of confidence to Trent Sisley
Speaking with reporters on Thursday morning, DeVries discussed the early parts of the offseason, Indiana's portal moves so far, and how the roster is coming together. The Hoosier head coach specifically discussed several players, including Sisley.
It's clear that DeVries has high hopes for Sisley next season. "I'm really excited," said DeVries. "He's going to be bigger, stronger, and just older. He showed plenty of flashes early in the season, so I'm really excited about the jump he can make this year."
Darian DeVries talking about Trent Sisley: "I'm really excited ... he's going to be bigger, stronger, and just older ... he showed plenty of flashes early in the season, so I'm really excited about the jump he can make this year."#iubb
— Alec Lasley (@allasley) May 7, 2026
Sisley finished his freshman season averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field. He came off the bench in all 30 games he appeared in, and saw his playing time diminish significantly during the second half of the season.
The Santa Claus, IN native played 20 minutes per game over the first 12 games to open the season, but would see just 8.5 minutes of action per game after December 20. He ended the season by playing just a single minute in Indiana's Big Ten Tournament matchup against Northwestern on March 11. Furthermore, he averaged a measly 1.6 points per game over his last 16 games. As he returns for his sophomore season, more consistency is needed from the 6'8" forward.
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It will be interesting to see how DeVries utilizes Sisley in Indiana's frontcourt rotation. DeVries brought in 7'2" center Samet Yigitoglu from SMU and 6'11" power forward Aiden Sherrell from Alabama in the portal, and they figure to see the bulk of the minutes at the 4 and 5 positions for Indiana. Sisley is more of a stretch-4, and he will most likely be used as a depth rotational piece who can knock down shots from the outside.
If the Hoosiers are going to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023, Sisley taking the big leap that DeVries was referring to would go a long way in that effort.
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