Indiana Men's Basketball: Early 2024 Recruiting Update
Things have been a bit messy for Mike Woodson and his Indiana Hoosiers ball club in 2023-2024. With a 12-7 record leading up to Saturday's game at 10th ranked Illinois, it just has not been pretty on the floor this season and there are no clear signs of a turnaround occurring anytime soon. With the present state of this program a muck, we had to look to the future for any sense of optimism pertaining to IUBB.
The last time that we checked in on the program's recruiting efforts, there was a lot to be excited about in regards to the future of Indiana basketball. While there have not been any major commitments/signings since that update in early December, there have still been some positive developments brewing that should yield some semblance of hope in the hearts of a frustrated fanbase.
2024 Commit McNeeley Earns Spot at McDonald's All-American Game
The Hoosier's still have just one commitment from the class of 2024, but that one commitment could be critical come the start of the 2024-2025 campaign. 5-star swingman Liam McNeeley, who signed his National Letter of Intent with IU back in early November, received an invitation to the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game earlier this week. The savvy sharpshooter has the talent and tools to sprout into a true treasure for Mike Woodson and the Hoosiers, and he will have an opportunity to put his potential on full display in the annual April showcase.
Will McNeeley ball out at that showing? Our fingers are certainly crossed.
2024 Recruit Derik Queen Announcement Coming Soon
Some analysts predicted McNeeley's teammate at Montverde (and the McD's game), 5-star big fella Derik Queen, to announce his decision at the annual Hoophall classic which took place two weeks ago. Much to their chagrin, the skilled center remains uncommitted to this day. While Queen's next home remains a major question mark, we should have an answer in the weeks to come with National Signing Day just a few months out. He is one of just a few McDonald's All-Americans whose commitment is still a mystery.
Will Queen join McNeeley in Bloomington next season? Our fingers are certainly crossed.
Woodson Staying Active with Class of 2025 Recruits
The Hoosiers do not have any official commitments to show for it quite yet, but Mike Woodson and his staff have still found ample time away from their present team's struggles to continue making efforts to strengthen the team's of the slightly extended future. Joson Sanon and Malachi Moreno, both 4-star recruits in the class of 2025 who have visited Indiana in the not-so-distant past, have each spoken highly of Woody's program via recent interviews. As noted in our previous recruiting update, Sonon is an explosive wing who possesses the potential to develop into a real problem on both ends of the floor. Moreno is 7-footer with the size and athleticism to blossom into a big time big man in the foreseeable future. Darius Acuff, a 5-star point guard in the class of 2025, recently shared his admiration for IUBB and confessed to communicating with Mike Woodson and his staff daily. The product of Detroit is the top-ranked point guard in his class, so it will be highly intriguing to see if Woodson can seal the deal on the next great Hoosier floor general.
Those are the names that have been at the peak of circulation tied to Indiana lately, but that is not to say they are the only prospects to keep an eye on. Among the list of the Hoosiers' main 2025 targets, 5-star wing Jalen Haralson stands out as the one to monitor the closest in the foreseeable future. The 6'7" talent from in-state La Lumiere is currently the 11th-rated prospect in the class of 2025, and has already been to Indiana for a recent visit. Branching off of this, he recently announced that he is planning yet another visit to B-Town soon (insert wandering eyes emoji here).
Will Mike Woodson land one of the aforementioned polarizing players? Our fingers are certainly crossed.