When Mike Woodson used to be leased by way of Indiana as this system’s head males’s basketball teacher in 2021, a fair proportion of critics made their critiques recognized in regards to the mythical program going the Bob Knight direction and hiring the previous All-American participant. Week Woodson had 25 years of training revel in — together with 9 within the NBA — he had by no means led a school hoops program. 

Instead temporarily, the Hoosiers’ pristine chief set to work and retained 4 of the six gamers that had entered the switch portal, convincing them to return again to Bloomington and provides him a shot. Trayce Jackson-Davis used to be clearly essentially the most notable participant to accumulation round, and the 2023 Karl Malone award winner and All-American that powered the Hoosiers to a top-3 end within the Bulky Ten advised FOX Sports activities that Woodson used to be the explanation he returned. 

The primary two years of the Woodson regime have introduced higher effects then Archie Miller’s firing following a 12-15 season, with the Hoosiers combining to advance 44-26 and 21-19 within the Bulky Ten. 

There are some key questions getting into 2022-23, although: 

• What’s going to IU seem like with Jackson-Davis, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Race Thompson, Miller Kopp and 3 alternative gamers who at the moment are long gone?
• How a lot otherwise will the Hoosiers play games with out a conventional put up participant in Jackson-Davis now long gone to the NBA?
• Can Woodson maintain good fortune, if no longer translate the recruiting good fortune (Hoosiers incoming magnificence ranks Disagree. 11 nationally this while) into even larger leads to March? To this point, it’s been two journeys to the NCAA Match and one win over Kent Atmosphere this date while ahead of being eradicated by way of Miami.
• May just Indiana be the unlit horse within the Bulky Ten?

We explored that query and took a deep dive into the Hoosiers with Woodson in a FOX School Hoops unique dialog.

How would you assess your first two years in this task?

“Well, I think we’ve made some major strides in the right direction, but again, my goal coming in — and it’s not going to ever change — is that we’ve got to win Big Ten titles and national titles. That’s the only reason why I came back to Indiana. I have no other agenda. This is not about me. It’s about the student-athletes that I’m recruiting, and making sure they’re doing all the necessary things on and off the court. That means getting it done in the classroom and then when they do get to me, that they’re willing to work and do what’s asked of them to help us win basketball games. I’m pleased with where we are, but this is a different year. The first two years are behind me, and I take it a year at a time as a coach. I’ve always done that. I try to get my team in the best position possible to win basketball games.” 

What are your ideas on title, symbol and likeness?

“It is what it is. It’s not going anywhere. It’s part of the college game now. I’m not against it at all by any means, but I don’t want players thinking that NIL is going to control this institution and this basketball team, and how we conduct our business. You go to college to get an education. If you play sports, you try to master your sport and be the best you can be to compete at the highest level. NIL should not be the driving force. When I’m recruiting players, if I think that NIL is the driving force to come to Indiana as opposed to playing for our program, I don’t want you. You can go somewhere else. It is what it is and everybody has to deal with it. At Indiana, we’re at a great place with it. But for me, it’s still about educating these kids and making sure they have a firm foundation when they do leave me.” 

How do you’re feeling about USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington becoming a member of the Bulky Ten? 

“I think it’s healthy. It’s great competition for us. I’ve never run from competition as a player or head coach. The way the Big Ten is run, you can tell it will benefit us. It’s my job to get my team ready because those teams coming to our league are damn good. Look, we’ll make that West Coast swing as long as they’ll come east to play us. And who knows? There could be other teams that could possibly join the Big Ten down the road. We’ve just got to worry about your team, build your team and see what happens.” 

With six pristine scholarship gamers, you mentioned this summer season that it will be a procedure to determine how you need to play games and who will do what. Thus far, what have you ever realized about this staff so far?

“I’m still in learning mode. I’m still trying to figure it out. Something is not going to happen overnight. We’ve just got to continue to practice and put time in, and look at different combinations. There’s just a lot to teach. When you add pieces like this — and I’ve done it before in the NBA — you’ve got to teach a lot. You’ve got to hope they pick up things a lot sooner than you would expect them to. We watch a lot of film here. Film is a great teaching tool when you’re trying to get your point across on both ends of the ball. We have a long way to go as a ball club. Am I pleased with where we are today? Yes, but there’s a long way to go. There’s so much that I’ve got to get in, my staff and I, to get to that point where we’re ready to play in October.”

Having Xavier Johnson again, how a lot does it ruthless for the entirety you’re seeking to do? 

“It’s huge. He’s a veteran point guard that’s played enough college basketball games to make a difference. You guys have no idea how much it hurt us last year not having him on the floor. It was a tremendous loss. You don’t go into any season thinking you’re going to lose players even though it’s a part of sports. Losing X was huge. I’m glad he’s back, and we’ve got to make sure he stays healthy this season. He’s our floor general along with Gabe (Cupps) and Trey Galloway. Everybody will have an opportunity to handle the ball, but you’ve got to be able to make quality basketball decisions. The fact X has been around the longest and played more college basketball games than anybody on our ballclub, it says a lot.”

Former five-star lease Kel’el Ware, popping out of highschool, generated a accumulation of buzz within the recruiting global. In his one while at Oregon, that buzz didn’t come all of the strategy to fruition there. What did you notice in him that made you need him at Indiana? 

“He’s a talented kid, and hey, sometimes s— happens, man. I’m not knocking what happened to him at Oregon. Dana Altman is a hell of a coach, but it just didn’t work out for Kel’el. When I recruited him, I said, ‘Look man, you’ve got to put all that negativity that’s out there about you behind you. The only way you can do that is if you play at a high level and do the things that are asked of you on and off the floor, and work your ass off to get better.’ That’s what this is all about. He can’t go back and change what happened at Oregon, but he can start a new chapter with the Hoosiers and put us in a position to win basketball games. It’s my job to push him.” 

What can Mackenzie Mgbako be to your program? 

“He’s a great piece to our puzzle, but it goes beyond him. We picked up some really strong pieces in the transfer portal this offseason. Everybody that is wearing that uniform, they’ve all got to play a role in winning basketball games. It could be Mackenzie’s night for us from time to time, or it could be X’s (Xavier Johnson) night on another night. I need a team that’s willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to win.”

What sort of bounce have you ever observable from sophomore Malik Reneau?

“He’s made major strides, but for him, the issue we had with him last year was we could not keep him on the floor. So, he’s a talented young man that can do a lot of things, but I got to get him on the floor and get him to where he stays on the floor and helps us win.” 

You confirmed your functions to manufacture NBA Draft ability with Hood-Schifino (seventeenth select by way of Lakers) and Jackson-Davis (57th select by way of Wizards). You’ve additionally mentioned that you’re feeling like this while, you’ll replicate the best way you constructed some Hawks groups to your pace training Atlanta to what you do with this crew. Week some stunning gamers have left the area, how a lot do you’re feeling just like the body of workers suits what you probably did within the NBA?

“The players we’ve added to our ballclub give us a lot of versatility. We are a lot longer and rangier than we’ve been in the last two years. That’s how I built my best teams in Atlanta, where guys can play multiple positions offensively and defensively. Only time will tell, and I was dealing with NBA players then. Now, I’m dealing with college kids. That’s not a knock, that’s just the job I’ve chosen to do now. I’ve got to be patient, but I also have to push to get to where I want to be to win. I tell the young guys this: you have to grow up quickly around me in order to help us. And as for the older guys, I want more from them. That’s the business. It’s how I coach, and we’ve got a lot of work to get there.” 

This date while, Purdue misplaced handiest six video games. Two of the ones six losses got here for your crew. Week your crew will glance other this while, Zach Edey is again for every other while. What are your ideas on that? 

“Well, Matt Painter has done a tremendous job there, and Zach is the best player in the country. They’re only going to keep winning. Hey, it’s great beating Purdue, but hell, I want to beat everybody. If you don’t come ready to play in the Big Ten, anybody in our league can beat you.” 

You’ve talked in regards to the extra between training NBA gamers from those you’re educating now, faculty gamers. How a lot do you benefit from the day-in and day-out strategy of being a school teacher? 

“I enjoy the s— out of it. I really enjoy college basketball. I say that because I spent over half my life in the NBA — 34 years of my life, in the NBA. When you are talking about that league, playing three or four times per week, if you’ve got a young team you don’t have enough time to teach. I like teaching. What I like about college is that the way the schedule lines up most weeks, if you’re playing two games, there’s enough time around those games to really coach and teach basketball. If your team grows and plays well, and you see some of the things you taught come to life on the basketball floor, that’s what makes this so worthwhile.”  

In any case, what do you take into consideration Indiana basketball doubtlessly being slept on heading into this while? 

“I’ll leave that up to you guys. I don’t think that way. I’ll tell you this: I’m really optimistic about our ballclub. I’m worried about our guys doing what they’re supposed to do, and if that happens, we will find success. I don’t worry about what people say. Those people don’t play the games. It’s about our guys playing the games. That’s what it’s all about.”

John Fanta is a countrywide faculty basketball broadcaster and essayist for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in various capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as manage host at the BIG EAST Virtual Community to offering remark on The Ground of 68 Media Community. Observe him on Twitter @John_Fanta.

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