Xavier Johnson - Commits to IU (PG)

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich]

Why does everyone keep saying I gotta work on my jump shot?

[Blackmon_for_3]

As much as I respect Al Durham and the work he put in at IU I believe adding XJ and bringing back Stewart makes the guard rotation significantly better. At least on paper. XJ sitting at 6’3” 200 plus pounds give a physical guard we sorely lacked for several years. Love the way this team is shaping up. 

[bleedhoosier]

Ok Woody

[Brass Cannon]

11 minutes ago, Blackmon_for_3 said:

As much as I respect Al Durham and the work he put in at IU I believe adding XJ and bringing back Stewart makes the guard rotation significantly better. At least on paper. XJ sitting at 6’3” 200 plus pounds give a physical guard we sorely lacked for several years. Love the way this team is shaping up. 

It would be hard for our guard rotation to get worse tbh 

[LamarCheeks]

Today was just a bizarre set of cosmic coincidences. 

Pitt point guard Xavier Johnson transfers to Indiana, where ... 

... Archie Miller used to coach. His brother is ... 

... Sean Miller, who in addition to being fired as Arizona's coach today, is a former point guard at Pitt, where he ... 

... helped create the famous "SEND IT IN, JEROME" call in 1988 by delivering the assist to Jerome Lane, who broke the backboard against Providence, where ...

... Al Durham, our starting guard the past four years, just transferred. 

What does that all mean?

Nothing.

Or does it???? 

[maharkn]

His jump shot reminds a lot of Curtis Jones shot

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[bird4par]

12 minutes ago, maharkn said:

His jump shot reminds a lot of Curtis Jones shot

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Hopefully, he can get to the Curtis Jones against KU form.

[Demo]

21 minutes ago, maharkn said:

His jump shot reminds a lot of Curtis Jones shot

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I wish I liked it even that much. The comp for me is Michael Adams, who played for Denver and a couple of other teams in the late 80’s into the 90’s. Will be interested to see the extant to which they try to retool it. 

[Hoosierfan222]

25 minutes ago, maharkn said:

His jump shot reminds a lot of Curtis Jones shot

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His shot definitely has a weird hitch in it that could probably be fixed

[Ghost of Rick Majerus]

Ok, Xavier, about all those PS5s you sold me....

Seriously though, this is exciting. Huge get, immediate impact. 

[HoosierFan1994]

Not going to lie this commitment feels different. I just feel Indiana has missed these kind of kids in the last decade or so. I think to win in college basketball you have to use the transfer market. Pretty sure all final four teams had a kid play a significant role that was a transfer. I’m a big NFL fan and it’s important to build through the draft but you need free agents to fill your roster. In college basketball it’s huge to have great freshman classes. But you need a transfer every so often. At the top of my head I can’t name too many transfers that were pretty good at IU (Evan Gordon, Bielfeldt, Zeisloft). I’d argue Xavier is going to have much more of an impact than these guys. Still need to add some more pieces but with the core of TJD, Xavier, Parker, And Lander this is a decent group. 

[Bobman1]

Not going to lie this commitment feels different. I just feel Indiana has missed these kind of kids in the last decade or so. I think to win in college basketball you have to use the transfer market. Pretty sure all final four teams had a kid play a significant role that was a transfer. I’m a big NFL fan and it’s important to build through the draft but you need free agents to fill your roster. In college basketball it’s huge to have great freshman classes. But you need a transfer every so often. At the top of my head I can’t name too many transfers that were pretty good at IU (Evan Gordon, Bielfeldt, Zeisloft). I’d argue Xavier is going to have much more of an impact than these guys. Still need to add some more pieces but with the core of TJD, Xavier, Parker, And Lander this is a decent group. 

Just off the top of my head: Juzang, Grimes, MaCio Teague, Nembhard, Mike Smith, Chaundee, Quinerly, Justin Smith, etc etc etc. You get the point. All the top programs this year had transfers that were huge additions to their rosters and expectations. X should be no different


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[lillurk]

A fun thought exercise: who are the best guards in the conference next year? As of now I think it’s, in some order: Jaden Ivey, Duane Washington, Andre Curbelo, Armaan Franklin, Xavier Johnson, and Parker Stewart.

[RaceToTheTop]

So in 2017-8, Pittsburgh brought in freshman Parker Stewart and Marcus Carr.  They both transferred after their freshman year.  The next year, Marcus comes in a freshman and transfers after his freshman year.

And their teams have been horrible.  Seriously, how can they not keep guards?

[Magnanimous]

32 minutes ago, brumdog45 said:

So in 2017-8, Pittsburgh brought in freshman Parker Stewart and Marcus Carr.  They both transferred after their freshman year.  The next year, Marcus comes in a freshman and transfers after his freshman year.

And their teams have been horrible.  Seriously, how can they not keep guards?

Josh Newkirk was a trailblazer.

[NashvilleHoosier]

9 hours ago, Bobman1 said:

Just off the top of my head: Juzang, Grimes, MaCio Teague, Nembhard, Mike Smith, Chaundee, Quinerly, Justin Smith, etc etc etc. You get the point. All the top programs this year had transfers that were huge additions to their rosters and expectations. X should be no different


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Baylor alone had 4 starters that were transfers as well as Flagler off the bench. Working the transfer market has become just as important as high school recruiting.

[HoosierHoopster]

15 hours ago, HoosierFan1994 said:

Not going to lie this commitment feels different. I just feel Indiana has missed these kind of kids in the last decade or so. I think to win in college basketball you have to use the transfer market. Pretty sure all final four teams had a kid play a significant role that was a transfer. I’m a big NFL fan and it’s important to build through the draft but you need free agents to fill your roster. In college basketball it’s huge to have great freshman classes. But you need a transfer every so often. At the top of my head I can’t name too many transfers that were pretty good at IU (Evan Gordon, Bielfeldt, Zeisloft). I’d argue Xavier is going to have much more of an impact than these guys. Still need to add some more pieces but with the core of TJD, Xavier, Parker, And Lander this is a decent group. 

Agree and for me it's also the type of player. X is a tough, hard-nosed baller. We've been short on really tough in your face players for some time (like a Sheehey). We've needed toughness for a while, and this is good to see.

[RaceToTheTop]

16 hours ago, brumdog45 said:

So in 2017-8, Pittsburgh brought in freshman Parker Stewart and Marcus Carr.  They both transferred after their freshman year.  The next year, Marcus comes in a freshman and transfers after his freshman year.

And their teams have been horrible.  Seriously, how can they not keep guards?

Brandon Newman should be on that list....not that he’s earned being on it, just that he has that kind of talent.  Seemed to lose confidence as the season went on.

[P92]

8 hours ago, NashvilleHoosier said:

Baylor alone had 4 starters that were transfers as well as Flagler off the bench. Working the transfer market has become just as important as high school recruiting.

I Remember those transfers Dean Garrett and Keith Smart in 1987...no championship without them!

[T White]

31 minutes ago, P92 said:

I Remember those transfers Dean Garrett and Keith Smart in 1987...no championship without them!

They were actually from JUCO's I think.