An introduction to one of the newest Hoosiers, Mike White

Mike White stood near the back of the press room in Assembly Hall Tuesday afternoon and cracked a subtle, coy smile when asked about his nickname -- "King Kong."\n"I got it in junior college," said the junior forward, who transferred to IU from Lee College in Baytown, Texas earlier this year. "My coach came in at halftime of the game and said, 'Man, you're playing like King Kong out there.'"\nMike White may not be as tall as his fictional namesake (he's listed at an extremely generous 6-foot-6), but he's sure got the strength of Kong.\nJust ask senior guard Earl Calloway.\n"Mike is ... Mike is a man. You know how you a man? You a man," Calloway said. "He plays like a man -- he's strong. Mike jumps higher than (former Hoosier) Marco (Killingsworth), rebounds, blocks shots, he runs, he can shoot the outside jumper ... When you talk about someone of his stature that can jump that high ... He's strong, and he's aggressive."\nSenior guard Rod Wilmont also used the word "man" to describe his new teammate, adding that Mike White never called fouls on himself during open gym time. \n"We hack him, push him. He'll never call a foul," Wilmont said.\nThe junior college transfer averaged 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks at Lee last season -- good enough to garner Region XIV co-MVP and National Junior College Athletic Association third team All-American honors. He's consistent; he started all 61 games during his two-year stint at Lee.\nMike White's former coach at Lee, Roy Champagne, described him as "very humble" in a statement back in April when the forward officially signed with IU.\nAt first introduction, Mike White doesn't come across like the outgoing and vocal Calloway or the energetic Wilmont.\nHe speaks in hushed tones and doesn't show much emotion while conversing. If he's anything like his coaches and teammates describe him on court, though, Hoosier Nation is in for a Clark Kent-Superman type scenario.\nShy and reserved off the court -- bruising, take-on-the-world strongman on it.\nThe White IU fans have come to know -- D.J. -- likened Mike's game to former NBA star Charles Barkley's.\n"I'm not gonna say he is a Charles Barkley, but you know that type of player," D.J. said. "(With his) rebounding, he can score a little bit but not as good as Charles, obviously. But I feel he's that type of player." \nThis year's IU team is fitter, stronger and more disciplined than last year's. IU coach Kelvin Sampson had his men up at 5:30 a.m. in the offseason. Former coach Mike Davis didn't. They've gained weight. Good, muscular weight. They ran timed miles and had to repeat the run if they didn't hit a certain time. They had to touch every line during their 'ultimate suicide' drills. If they missed one, even by an inch, they had to run as punishment -- run a lot. \nThe way they've talked, it seems like the Hoosiers are training for a boxing match against Mike Tyson in his hey-day rather than for a season on the hardwood.\nWhether they're hitting the ring or the court, one thing's for certain: you're going to want King Kong on your side.