It's October, and that means Hoosier Hysteria and the start of the IU men's basketball team's season is right around the corner. Let's take a look at the Hoosiers' 2010 roster and what to expect from its top players.
Overview: Oladipo is a 6-5, 210-pound freshman guard out of DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. He was ranked the No. 144 player in the 2010 class by Rivals.com after averaging 11.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a high school senior. His strong season earned him a spot on the Washington Post 2010 All-Met First Team. He won the Hoophall Classic slam dunk contest and MVP of the Gatorade International Basketball Tournament.
Best case: Oladipo gives the Hoosiers an athletic weapon off the bench, a slasher who can get to the rim at will. His explosive dunks give the crowd and his teammates a spark, and he keeps defenses honest with a developed mid-range jump shot. His jumping ability isn't lost on the defensive end, as he racks up rebounds and blocked shots. Oladpio's versatility helps him edge out other bench players for playing time, and his high energy and work ethic earn him a regular chant from the Assembly Hall fans.
Worst case: Oladipo shows athleticism, but mostly jumping after his own missed shots. He doesn't develop any other offensive skills to complement his dunking, and his shooting percentage hits the cellar as defenses simply clog the lane when he's in the game. He's lax on the defensive side, not challenging opponents shots and missing rebounding chances. Oladpio finds himself in coach Tom Crean's dog house and gets comfortable in his candy stripe pants.
Outlook: For the first time since he arrived at IU, Crean has the option to rest his most talented freshman as he hones his game. It's been a trial by fire for guys like Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones, and inevitably growing pains have ensued. If Crean doesn't feel like Oladipo is ready for the college game yet, he has enough options at guard to give his athletic freshman time to mature. That said, if injuries were to occur, Oladipo has enough to his game right now to clog the gap. He's sure to get plenty of playing time in the beginning of the season, thus plenty of time to prove himself worthy of minutes in the everyday rotation.
