After a disappointing first season that resulted in yet another missed NCAA Tournament for Indiana, Darian DeVries is looking to lead the Hoosiers to a much-improved 2026-27 season. DeVries has had a busy offseason reconstructing IU's roster, which has given Hoosier basketball fans new hope.
Darian DeVries wastes no time, extends first 2029 offer to rising in-state prospect
Trent Sisley is IU's lone returner from last season, meaning that a lot is riding on the success of DeVries' transfer portal haul. As it stands, Indiana's group of incoming transfers is ranked as the No. 6 transfer portal class in the country by On3. It's a well-rounded group with plenty of talent, but there are two players whose performances this season will have the biggest impact on Indiana's success.
PG Markus Burton
Former Notre Dame point guard moves from South Bend to Bloomington with plenty of expectations for 2026-27. Burton was among the ACC's best scoring threats over the last three seasons, and Hoosier fans are hoping he continues that scoring prowess with the Cream and Crimson. At the time of his commitment to IU, Burton was ranked as the No. 24 overall player and the No. 6 point guard in the portal according to 247Sports.
Owning a 6'0" 190-pound frame, Burton earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2023-24 by averaging 17.5 points per game. He then led the entire ACC by averaging 21.3 points per game as a sophomore in 2024-25. His junior campaign was cut short due to a knee injury this past season, but he was effective when healthy. The Mishawaka, IN native put up 18.5 points per game over 10 games before suffering the injury.
Burton can score in a wide variety of ways, and he figures to play a leading role in Indiana's scoring attack, Burton can create shots off the dribble, take defenders to the rim 1-on-1 to the rim, and has an efficient mid-range game. He also shot an elite 91.7% from the free throw line last season.
Burton is likely to be the straw that stirs the drink in DeVries' system, which gives him plenty of potential. The offense will most likely run through him and his effectiveness this season will play a vital role in whether or not Indiana is able to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
PF Aiden Sherrell
Last season, Indiana desperately lacked the size and athleticism at the 4 and 5 positions that is needed in the Big Ten. DeVries addressed that by bringing in both Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu through the portal. Both will play a key role in Indiana's 2026-27 season, but since Sherrell can play both positions, his value is slightly greater at this point in time.
Owning a 6'11" 255-pound frame, Sherrell was one of the top bigs on the market. He was rated by On3 as a 4-star transfer player and was ranked as the No. 15 overall player on the market. He has plenty of versatility and can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, Sherrell averaged 11.1 points per game while shooting 53.9% from the floor and 71.3% from the free throw line for Alabama this past season. On the other end, he is an elite rim-protector as he finished second in the SEC with 2.2 blocks per game. He is also an effective rebounder on both ends, bringing down 6.8 total rebounds and 2.4 offensive rebounds per game in 2025-26.
Bringing Sherrell to Bloomington is a massive win for DeVries, as the highly-coveted transfer provides an immediate and substantial upgrade to IU's interior on both ends.
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