IU recruit enjoys visit, looks for doctor’s release to play

IU recruit Derek Elston hasn’t played basketball in more than four months.

The senior forward from Tipton, Ind., suffered a torn meniscus at an AAU event on May 17 and underwent surgery just four days later to repair his knee.

Elston has been waking up each morning during the week at 6 a.m. for informal team workouts, only to watch his teammates from the sidelines. Being shelved for more than four months has been tough on him, but the four-star recruit said he “can’t wait” to be cleared to play.

Elston is set to go to the doctor today, where they will run a few tests on him. He might get the good news he is looking for and be out on the court soon.

“If I do get released,” he said by phone Sunday night, “we’ll play in the morning Wednesday, and I guarantee I’ll be the first one there.”

Elston, ranked as the No. 90 senior-class prospect by Scout.com and No. 98 by Rivals.com, committed to play for IU last September. Despite giving his promise to Kelvin Sampson, Elston has developed a good relationship with IU coach Tom Crean – and assistant coach Tim Buckley, especially – and is eager to join the team next year.

Last Saturday, Elston made the trip to Bloomington with a few friends to watch the IU-Ball State football game.

“It was too much fun. It was a good trip,” he said. “Just me and a couple buddies were going to come up to the IU game, and then we caught up with coach Buckley, and he took us around, walked us around with (7-foot IU recruit) Bawa (Muniru) and just had a good time.”

Elston said he watched a bit of an IU volleyball game, saw the Walk, accompanied IU coaches who were watching film with Muniru, and before kickoff even got onto the field with Muniru and some high school freshman recruits also visiting during the weekend.

“When I was down on the field at the beginning of the game, and having all these people screaming ‘Derek,’ and getting their picture taken with me, that was a lot of fun,” Elston said.

The Tipton High School star said he tried talking with Muniru a bit, but said the 7-foot Ghana native did not always seem to understand him. Elston did say Muniru was a “funny guy,” and seemed to have lots of fun at the football game.

Muniru was on campus for an official visit, five days after Crean and assistants Bennie Seltzer and Roshown McLeod visited the big man at Charis Prep in North Carolina. IU could benefit from adding another true post player, but on Wednesday, Crean and McLeod took a trip to New Jersey to visit five-star guard/forward Dominic Cheek.

“(I’d) probably (prefer) a big man, because I’d hate to see another Eric Gordon, a one-and-done guy,” Elston said. “With regards to IU and me, I’d like to see us get a big guy who will stay all this time and learn and become a great player after his third or fourth year.”

If IU doesn’t end up with another big man, Elston – listed as a small forward by Rivals but a power forward by Scout – might see more time in the post next year. He’s listed at 6-foot-8 on several recruiting sites but says he’s one inch taller, and Elston might not even be done growing.

“When I tore my meniscus, actually, they took x-rays and said that I still had a lot of room left in my joints for growing,” Elston said. “Whether I get to 6-10 or not, I don’t know, but I think I still have a little bit more in me.”