Sam Alexis receives ruling that paves the way for possible Indiana return

Darian DeVries and the Indiana Hoosiers still have one roster spot to work with heading into the 2026-27 season. Earlier this month, DeVries stated that the spot has been left open intentionally and that he is open to a late roster addition.

So who are some players that could fill that roster spot for Indiana? A familiar face comes to mind.

Sam Alexis gets temporary injunction, now eligible to play in 2026-27

A handful of players across the country have recently received temporary injunctions to play an additional year of college basketball after initially exhausting their eligibility. The court rulings follow the NCAA's proposed adoption of a new rule granting athletes five years of eligibility going forward. However, the NCAA did not apply the change retroactively to players who exhausted their eligibility during the 2025–26 academic year under the previous rule.

In short, 20+ college basketball players with four years of playing experience have now become available to play in 2026-27. Among those players is former Hoosier Sam Alexis.

Alexis was a significant contributor for Indiana this past season. He appeared in 32 games and made 23 starts, averaging 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while playing just over 21 minutes per game. He shot an impressive 68.7% from the floor, which led the Hoosiers.

Prior to arriving at Indiana, Alexis played two seasons at Chattanooga and one season at Florida. He was apart of Florida's National Championship team in 2024-25.

Now that he is recently eligible, would a return to Bloomington make sense for both Alexis and Indiana?

A Sam Alexis return would provide strong depth to Indiana's frontcourt

While he has been ruled eligible, it remains to be seen if Alexis will play for Indiana. According to The Daily Hoosier, an Indiana spokesperson declined to comment on Alexis' developing situation. Furthermore, there is no indication that Alexis entered the transfer portal back in April, as he thought he was out of eligibility at that time. 

However, the new court order requires the NCAA to open the transfer portal from August 3-10. Should he choose to enter, that would allow Alexis to browse all of his options.

An Alexis return to Indiana would make a lot of sense for many reasons. For starters, he is familiar with DeVries' system and coaching style. Furthermore, he would be a familiar face on a roster full of newcomers. As it stands, Trent Sisley is Indiana's lone returning player from last year's team. Having a bit more roster continuity could bode well for the Hoosiers.

Perhaps more importantly, Alexis would provide strong depth to Indiana's frontcourt. The Hoosier frontcourt received a facelift in the offeseason with the portal additions of Alabama power forward Aiden Sherrell and SMU center Samet Yigitoglu. Owning a 6'9" frame, having Alexis back in the mix could be a welcome sight for Indiana. You can never have enough depth.

It's also worth mentioning that Alexis played with the Hoosiers representing Team USA in the FISU America Games in Peru earlier this month. He looked comfortable with Indiana's new-look roster and made several noteworthy plays. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops in the coming weeks.

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