With October here and Hoosier Hysteria right around the corner, the IU basketball season is upon us. To get you back into the basketball state of mind, I'll be profiling IU basketball players leading up to the season opener vs. Stony Brook on Nov. 11.
Overview: Etherington is a 6-6, 200 pound freshman out of Cicero, IN. En route to first-team All-State honors, Etherington averaged 18.6 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game and blocked 1.6 shots per game in his senior season at Hamilton Heights High School. Following his senior season, Etherington helped lead the Indiana All-Stars to two victories against the Kentucky All-Stars. Etherington was also invited to the NBA Top 100 camp prior to his senior season and was ranked the 28th best small forward in the country by Scout.com.
Best case: Etherington becomes that much needed 3-point threat off the bench and helps spread the floor. With the injuries to senior guard Matt Roth and junior guard Maurice Creek over the past two seasons, the Hoosiers have lacked outside shooting off the bench. While both are expected to be back in the mix this season, Etherington's range provides a spark plug when the IU offense is struggling. Defensively, Etherington adds length off a very guard-dominated bench. Etherington thrives as an on-ball defender against bigger guards and is able to pull down boards when needed.
Worst case: Instead of getting into IU Coach Tom Crean's rotation like freshman Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo did last season, Etherington rides the bench all year. He gets in only during garbage time situations and struggles to adjust to the physicality of the Big Ten. Etherington is still tipping the scales a few hairs under 200 pounds, and he could struggle to pull down rebounds like he did with ease in high school. Also, you never know if a 3-point shooter like Etherington is going to find his rhythm when he's coming in off the bench for the first time in his life.
Outlook: It's hard to see Etherington getting into the mix this early in his career. He has a solid 6-6 frame to work with but he still needs to add some muscle if he wants to be a Big Ten forward. The Hoosiers have not had a player similar to Etherington's skill set in the Crean era, so there's nobody to compare him to. He's a kid that is often credited for having a good work ethic so he could be a guy Crean calls on more as the season goes on. Just don't expect Etherington to crack the starting rotation during his freshman campaign.
