Each Active IUBB Player's Former IUBB Clone

There is no denying that Indiana University has cemented itself among the elite club of college basketball powerhouses. Throughout the programs storied history, a laundry list of legendary Hoosier hoopers have made their marks inside the walls of Assembly Hall. Some of the iconic Indianian's have arrived in Bloomington and left a lasting legacy within the hearts of the Hoosier faithful upon their departures.

But while the ancestors of Assembly Hall may have exhausted their eligibility on the court, each and every season the new wave of Hoosier hoopers seem to embody their predecessors in some manner. More specifically, each individual ball player seems to replicate the type of on-court characteristics/skillset that correlate almost identically to at least one former Hoosier player who appears to play on vicariously through the next generation.

With those things in mind, here is one former Indiana men's basketball player that can be seen quite clearly when you watch each present Indiana men's basketball player closely.

Myles Rice (6'3", 180 lb | Sophomore ) -> Verdell Jones III (6'5", 180 lb | 2008 - 2012)

Myles Rice comes to B-Town fresh off of a phenomenal freshman season at Washington State in which his overall poise and polish from the point guard spot earned him Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors. During his 4 campaigns in the cream and crimson, Verdell Jones III exhibited very similar feel as a playmaker in the backcourt.

Trey Galloway (6'5", 205 lb | Senior) -> Jeremiah Rivers (6'5", 205 lb | 2009 - 2011)

Trey Galloway is one of those guys that never gets a ton of buzz for what he does on the floor, but is someone that has consistently embraced the role of a "roll-up-your-sleeves and do whatever your ton needs from you" type guy on the floor. Back when Jeremiah Rivers was a Hoosier, he fit the exact same archetype.

Mackenzie Mgbako (6'8", 220 lb | Sophomore) -> Christian Watford (6'9", 230 lb | 2009 - 2013)

Not only are these two gentlemen each cut from the "lanky, combo forward who can shoot" cloth, but when you look at numbers from both swingmen's freshman seasons the resemblance becomes even more uncanny:

Watford | 2009-2010 = 28.5 MPG, 12.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.6 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 37.5% FG/31.9% 3/80.0% FT

Mgbako | 2023-2024 = 27.0 PG, 12.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 39.5% FG/32.7% 3/82.1% FT

Malik Reneau (6'9", 235 lb | Sophomore) -> Marco Killingsworth (6'8", 265 lb | 2005 - 2006)

Marco Killingsworth was a man among boys during his sole season at Indiana. The bouldering southpaw bullied defenders in the paint and wrestled relentlessly on the boards. Reneau looked darn near unstoppable at times last season, and the hope is that the lefty will take yet another step forward in his tertiary season.

Oumar Ballo (7'0", 260 lb | Senior) -> Cody Zeller (6'11", 240 lb | 2011 - 2013)

When you go back throughout the recent history of Indiana men's basketball, it is hard to pinpoint a behemoth of Ballo's make and mold as far as Hoosier centers go. He is a physical specimen with the stature to make life a living nightmare for any and all who cross his path on the court. While Cody Zeller may have been a more polished and hyped big fella, his physique and overall dominance are the closest resemblance to what Ballo should bring to Bloomington.

Kanaan Carlyle (6'3", 185 lb | Sophomore) -> Devin Dumes (6'2", 190 lb | 2008 - 2010)

Devin Dumes was a small combo guard who was capable of catching fire at any given moment without any prior indication. Carlyle fit the category to a tee during his freshman season at Stanford, and should be Mike Woodson's microwave scorer off the bench this year.

Jakai Newton (6'3", 205 lb | RS Freshman) -> Remy Abell (6'4", 200 lb | 2011 - 2013)

Jakai Newton has been a rising favorite among the Indiana fanbase recently, and has the physical strength and explosiveness to make a real difference on both ends of the floor this year. He may not have been the most consistent during his time at Indiana, but Newton has all the makings of a guy like Remy Abell who flashed ample glimpses of greatness under Tom Crean.

Bryson Tucker (6'7", 185 lb | Freshman) -> Will Sheehey (6'7", 200 lb | 2010 - 2014)

While Will Sheehey may never have possessed the same type of top dog potential then that Bryson Tucker does now, the former Indiana wing brings a lot of the same gifts to the table. They are both big wings with long arms who have shown a tendency to disrupt rhythms defensively and find ways to stay effective offensively without being overly ball-dominant.

Luke Goode (6'7", 210 lb | Senior) -> Miller Kopp (6'7", 220 lb | 2021 - 2023)

Luke Goode and Miller Kopp are nearly the exact same size and both sink outside shots with a silky smooth stroke. Need we say more?

Langdon Hatton (6'10", 240 lb | Senior) -> Tom Pritchard (6'9", 245 lb | 2008 - 2012)

Langdon Hatton certainly has a leg up on Pritchard when it comes to shooting (Hatton hit 15 treys last season alone at Bellarmine compared to the 0 that Pritchard hit across 130 career games at Indiana), but that is not necessarily the area of the game where this team will need him the most. IU is going to need his size and strength as a reserve rebounder and a screener in the same way that Pritchard made his mark.

Gabe Cupps (6'2", 175 lb | Sophomore) -> Josh Newkirk (6'1", 190 lb | 2016 - 2018)

Cupps was all caps STEADY as a true freshman, and never appeared shaken despite being thrown into the fire more or less right away. He has not done anything spectacular in his brief tenure as a Hoosier, but neither did Josh Newkirk and no one will ever complain about the subtle contributions and steady hand that he provided across 2 seasons on both ends of the floor.

Anthony Leal (6'5", 205 lb | Senior) -> Nick Zeisloft (6'4", 200 lb | 2014 - 2016)

Leal is not quite on Zeisloft's level in terms of shooting volume, but he has always been known as a shooter and connected on 9/19 from deep in 2023-2024 (including a few extremely clutch hits in clutch time). If he can sustain his success from outside and continue to exude the type of IQ and on-court wisdom this season that he did last season, this comparison will make much more sense.