College basketball is in a new era.
It used to be common to build a team from the time they are freshmen to the time they are seniors. However, the new college basketball landscape has proven this concept to be rare. This modern age is marked by name, image and likeness and the transfer portal.
Instead, players now transfer from school to school, rarely staying in one spot for too long. Indiana men’s basketball is a product of that.
After losing eight scholarship players to the transfer portal and the rest to graduation, the fully new roster under first-year head coach Darian DeVries is comprised of 10 new transfers and just three freshmen.
These are the three transfers who I think will make the biggest impact for the Hoosiers this season:
Lamar Wilkerson
Lamar Wilkerson has already proven to be an impactful playerr, and I expect that to translate to his game at Indiana. The fifth-year senior guard spent his first four seasons at Sam Houston State University before transferring to Indiana ahead of this season.
In his time at Sam Houston State, Wilkerson was a two-time All-Conference USA first team selection and scored in double figures in 66 career games. During his senior season, Wilkerson started in all 32 games and averaged 20.5 points, four rebounds and two assists per game. The Ashdown, Arkansas, native was just one of three players in Division 1 men’s basketball to make at least 100 3-pointers and shoot over 44% from behind the arc.
In addition to his proven successes over his career, Hoosier fans have already gotten a brief look at what Wilkerson can bring to the table. In an exhibition matchup with Marian University on Oct. 17, Wilkerson put up 8 points, two 3-pointers and five rebounds with no turnovers in 19 minutes of play.
This performance was followed by an impressive 28-point game against Baylor on Oct. 26. Wilkerson’s ability to get a basket when the Hoosiers needed it was critical in their 76-74 victory over the Bears. Down the stretch, Wilkerson went 13 for 13 from the free-throw line, including game-tying free throws in the last two minutes of the contest.
“What I love about Lamar may not even be like what he does as a player,” Darian DeVries said Oct. 9 at Big Ten Media day. “I love his energy, his enthusiasm, the way he plays the game. For a long season, you've got to have guys like that — some energy guys in your locker room. He's one of those guys that has a great mindset, great attitude about how he approaches every day.”
“Now, I do love the fact that he makes threes too,” he added.
Tucker DeVries
Redshirt senior forward Tucker DeVries is entering a comeback season with the Hoosiers after transferring from West Virginia University. Tucker DeVries only played eight games last season with the Mountaineers after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
Throughout his college career, Tucker DeVries has shot 43.5% from the floor and 36.7% from the 3-point line. He scored double figures in 101 of his 112 career games.
In Indiana’s two exhibition matches, DeVries scored in double figures and hit at least two 3-pointers in each. Against Marian, DeVries made seven of his nine field goals attempts and five of his seven three-point attempts to finish the contest with 23 points in just 22 minutes of action. Against Baylor, DeVries put up five assists and 18 points off 7 of 15 shooting from the field and 2 of 8 3-point attempts.
With Tucker DeVries being the son of Darian DeVries and having played under his coaching style before, Tucker DeVries is the only player to really know the system. Darian highlighted this point and complimented his son’s leadership qualities over the years in a postgame conference on Oct. 17.
“He’s always been a really good leader.” Darian said. “As he’s gotten older, he’s become more vocal with it as well. For this group, especially when everybody’s new, and he’s the one guy that understands everything we’re running, whether it’s drills or players or whatever.”
His leadership qualities and experience playing under his dad’s system will be key to his impact this season for the Hoosiers.
“He plays like a vet on the court.” Wilkerson said Oct. 9 at Big Ten Media Day. “He has that leadership that every team needs.”
Sam Alexis
Senior forward Sam Alexis spent his first two seasons at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before transferring to University of Florida in 2024 and Indiana in 2025.
In his time with Florida, Alexis played in 24 games and averaged 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and picked up 15 blocks en route to the Gators’ 2025 NCAA Tournament championship victory.
Alexis has seen what it takes to win games and win a championship and can bring that knowledge and experience to the Hoosiers.
“Sam’s been great as far as just bringing that SEC physicality and just us showing us how a championship team practices every day as far as intensity wise,” Wilkerson said Oct. 9.
In the Hoosiers’ recent exhibition matches, Alexis has already made an impact on the interior. Against Marian, Alexis made six of his nine field goals to score 13 total points. Alexis also picked up three blocks and 10 rebounds to cap off his double-double performance.
Against Baylor, Alexis provided the only spark off the bench as he scored all the Hoosiers 9 bench points. In the contest, Alexis finished going 4 for 5 from the floor, grabbed seven rebounds and picked up three blocks.
“Sam gives us that physicality. And we don’t have a lot of big, girthy guys, especially on the interior,” Darian DeVries said. “He’s one of the guys that does bring some of that physical presence, some of that shot blocking.”
The 6-foot-9 forward will provide length and size to the Hoosiers’ smaller roster makeup.
Indiana will look to keep this winning pattern alive in games that count when they face Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for its season opener. Streaming will be available on the Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Nathan Shriberg (@NShriberg and naashri@iu.edu) and columnist Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
