In Year 1 under Darian DeVries, the Indiana Hoosiers lacked size and athleticism in the front court. The Hoosiers ranked dead last in the Big Ten with just 8.2 offensive rebounds per game, and finished 13th in the conference with 32.4 total rebounds per game. That isn't going to cut it in the Big Ten.
As the season was wrapping up, DeVries stated that building up IU's front court for next season would be a top priority during the offseason. DeVries and company haven't made strong headway with front court players in the portal just yet, but that is changing this weekend.
On Sunday, Indiana is hosting Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell, who is one of the most coveted big men on the market. Needing to find plenty of production at the 4 and 5 positions for next year's roster, DeVries needs to pull out all the stops.
Portal update: Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell is currently on campus visiting #iubb, sources tell https://t.co/Tp9zKoVjQN.
— Colin McMahon (@ColinMcMahon31) April 12, 2026
Markus Burton will also visit today, but is arriving later tonight.
Two major visitors on the same day for IU. Incredibly pivotal for DeVries and staff. https://t.co/8Ylvfnep8b pic.twitter.com/UTFJreXlVT
Aiden Sherrell's visit to Indiana gives Darian DeVries a massive opportunity
Sherrell is ranked as the No. 10 overall player and No. 3 power forward in the portal according to 247Sports. Coming off a sophomore season in which he started all 34 games for the Crimson Tide, Sherrell would be a massive pickup for DeVries and the Hoosiers.
Sherrell averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this past season, which would have ranked third and first on the Hoosiers respectively. He also shot a strong 53.9% from the floor.
Indiana struggled mightily with rim protection last season, and Sherrell's skill set on the defensive end could be a great asset when rebuilding IU's front court. The 6'11" 255-pound playmaker led the Crimson Tide and ranked second in the SEC averaging 2.2 blocks per game. For comparison, only one Hoosier averaged more than 1.0 block per game this season, which was Sam Alexis with 1.2. As a team, the Hoosiers ranked 13th in the Big Ten with 2.7 blocks per game.
DeVries and executive director of basketball Ryan Carr need to capitalize on Sherrell's visit to Bloomington. Landing a player of his caliber would be a big portal win.