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Stuhoo

IU Basketball News and Notes

By Stuhoo, in Indiana Men's Basketball

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AH1971    1,415

AH1971
Posted
5 hours ago, Demo said:

Now you’ve done it. I’m at home with an uncooperative back so I have nothing better to do than think about this. It could go on for a minute. Off the top of my head and in order of when they played:

1) McGinnis- the anti-Perea. Not a great vertical athlete, but everything else was positively ahead of his time. Upper and lower body strength, 1st step quickness, long speed, change of direction, body control and 1 of the best sets of hands I’ve seen in basketball. If a basketball generation is 15 years, Mac may not have been a generation ahead, he might have been 2. At his peak he was Barkley at 6’8” instead of 6’4”. 
2) Wilkerson- In the mid-70’s 6’7” guys who were probably plus-6 or so with effortless change of direction and body control and legit 40 inch verts basically didn’t exist. As a defensive toolkit he was rare to the point of maybe unique for his time. In the F4 against UCLA he took Raymond Townsend, who was a really good college PG, and smothered that guy. 
3) Smart- probably some upper body stiffness and not great hands from being #1 on an IU list. Length, strength at his size, 1 and 2 foot explosiveness, speed end to end, 1st step, change of direction, all elite. 
4) Oladipo- that a 6’4” 205lb dude could beat literally any defender at all with his 1st step, I’ll never get over how easily he could do it. And then he just had the whole toolkit past that. His body breaking down was such a shame. 
 

I'd add Charlie Miller and Troy Williams.

Charlie Miller more so than Troy Williams, but both examples of high level athletes who could never really translate that to production on the court sans Williams junior year. 

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Home Jersey    6,282

Home Jersey
Posted
1 hour ago, Demo said:

Now you’ve done it. I’m at home with an uncooperative back so I have nothing better to do than think about this. It could go on for a minute. Off the top of my head and in order of when they played:

1) McGinnis- the anti-Perea. Not a great vertical athlete, but everything else was positively ahead of his time. Upper and lower body strength, 1st step quickness, long speed, change of direction, body control and 1 of the best sets of hands I’ve seen in basketball. If a basketball generation is 15 years, Mac may not have been a generation ahead, he might have been 2. At his peak he was Barkley at 6’8” instead of 6’4”. 
2) Wilkerson- In the mid-70’s 6’7” guys who were probably plus-6 or so with effortless change of direction and body control and legit 40 inch verts basically didn’t exist. As a defensive toolkit he was rare to the point of maybe unique for his time. In the F4 against UCLA he took Raymond Townsend, who was a really good college PG, and smothered that guy. 
3) Smart- probably some upper body stiffness and not great hands from being #1 on an IU list. Length, strength at his size, 1 and 2 foot explosiveness, speed end to end, 1st step, change of direction, all elite. 
4) Oladipo- that a 6’4” 205lb dude could beat literally any defender at all with his 1st step, I’ll never get over how easily he could do it. And then he just had the whole toolkit past that. His body breaking down was such a shame. 
 

Hope the back quits acting up on ya soon.

Great list... Albeit he's ahead of my time slightly, but I kinda feel Smart is generally underrated as one of our program legends. As if his iconic shot almost draws so much attention, it's easy to forget just how important/good of a player he was the rest of the time, too. 

Oladipo was too uber athletic for his body to hold up. And he had some awful luck contract wise in the league. I'd love if he came "home" to Bloomington one day, probably unlikely though. His play style and dunks were iconic... he made IU "cool" for a lot of NJ HS students at the time. People literally applied because they thought Assembly Hall looked bad*ss and Kelley is ranked well lol. 

Always felt like Troy Williams had potential to be that same kind of explosive guy, but couldn't put it together consistently. I'm excited to watch the alums play in some of these newer leagues. Never really tuned in before

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go iu bb    5,412

go iu bb
Posted
23 hours ago, Home Jersey said:

Amen, hopefully it's genuine from X... Jakai is definitely a sleeper/dark horse factor. I want it to work out here badly. Hope we get to see him run with the other GA guards at least a little bit, even if only in the preseason. Want to see a team that plays with joy this year. 

As for #2... Lol, so true. Hanner was such a frustrating player and in the end, proved to be more trouble than worthwhile. I'd have to go Oladipo for most athletic, in my time anyway. I'm probably missing a bunch of notables though. Who comes to mind for you? 

Steve Hart wasn't a very good basketball player but he was incredibly athletic. I remember him jumping over some guy in a game.

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Dave from Dayton    2,887

Dave from Dayton
Posted

I concur with Demo's list.  I saw McGinnis my first year at IU at the old fieldhouse.  I wish that Coach Knight could have had him for a year.  Wilkerson was a gazelle.  A joy to watch.  Oladipo was a rocket.

I was enthralled by Zeke. Not only gifted physically...but he was superb in being a floor general. Everyone was better on the court because of him.  I remember Coach Knight yelling at him pre-freshman year.  Then in Zeke's 2nd year, Coach Knight just let Zeke command the team. 

1979 McDonald’s All-American

1980 USA Male Basketball Athlete of the Year

1981 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player

1981 Consensus First Team All-American

1981 NCAA Champion

Coach Knight called him Pee Wee.  If I had a choice of players year in and year out...I. Thomas would be the point guard. 

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HoosierHoopster    6,687

HoosierHoopster
Posted
6 hours ago, Demo said:

Now you’ve done it. I’m at home with an uncooperative back so I have nothing better to do than think about this. It could go on for a minute. Off the top of my head and in order of when they played:

1) McGinnis- the anti-Perea. Not a great vertical athlete, but everything else was positively ahead of his time. Upper and lower body strength, 1st step quickness, long speed, change of direction, body control and 1 of the best sets of hands I’ve seen in basketball. If a basketball generation is 15 years, Mac may not have been a generation ahead, he might have been 2. At his peak he was Barkley at 6’8” instead of 6’4”. 
2) Wilkerson- In the mid-70’s 6’7” guys who were probably plus-6 or so with effortless change of direction and body control and legit 40 inch verts basically didn’t exist. As a defensive toolkit he was rare to the point of maybe unique for his time. In the F4 against UCLA he took Raymond Townsend, who was a really good college PG, and smothered that guy. 
3) Smart- probably some upper body stiffness and not great hands from being #1 on an IU list. Length, strength at his size, 1 and 2 foot explosiveness, speed end to end, 1st step, change of direction, all elite. 
4) Oladipo- that a 6’4” 205lb dude could beat literally any defender at all with his 1st step, I’ll never get over how easily he could do it. And then he just had the whole toolkit past that. His body breaking down was such a shame. 
 

SMH. How could you leave this guy out?

tim-priller.jpg

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HoosierHoopster    6,687

HoosierHoopster
Posted

Hard to list them in order bc different eras and all, but I'd include

Vic, hands down

Wilkerson

Smart

Troy - on pure athleticism

Sheehey

and just maybe OG. His injury his soph year ended things at IU but a guy who can guard literally anyone, block anyone, dunk on you, and outrun you down the floor merits consideration

 

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cthomas    6,267

cthomas
Posted
10 hours ago, Demo said:

Now you’ve done it. I’m at home with an uncooperative back so I have nothing better to do than think about this. It could go on for a minute. Off the top of my head and in order of when they played:

1) McGinnis- the anti-Perea. Not a great vertical athlete, but everything else was positively ahead of his time. Upper and lower body strength, 1st step quickness, long speed, change of direction, body control and 1 of the best sets of hands I’ve seen in basketball. If a basketball generation is 15 years, Mac may not have been a generation ahead, he might have been 2. At his peak he was Barkley at 6’8” instead of 6’4”. 
2) Wilkerson- In the mid-70’s 6’7” guys who were probably plus-6 or so with effortless change of direction and body control and legit 40 inch verts basically didn’t exist. As a defensive toolkit he was rare to the point of maybe unique for his time. In the F4 against UCLA he took Raymond Townsend, who was a really good college PG, and smothered that guy. 
3) Smart- probably some upper body stiffness and not great hands from being #1 on an IU list. Length, strength at his size, 1 and 2 foot explosiveness, speed end to end, 1st step, change of direction, all elite. 
4) Oladipo- that a 6’4” 205lb dude could beat literally any defender at all with his 1st step, I’ll never get over how easily he could do it. And then he just had the whole toolkit past that. His body breaking down was such a shame. 
 

It's been a really long time and I still marvel at the skill of McGinnis. You are absolutely right, probably two generations ahead of his time. And Wilkerson remains one of my all-time favorite Hoosiers. It's heartbreaking that he was not able to finish the championship game and celebrate with his teammates. He certainly earned it.

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Hovadipo    54,688

Hovadipo
Posted
8 minutes ago, Demo said:

When I saw that pic my first thought was what the hell is Rob Phinisee doing at a June workout? 

I spent a couple minutes trying to figure out why a bunch of dudes he didn't play with were hugging him and just moved on. It wasn't until right now that I realized it was Myles lol. The portal era is hard.

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IUc2016    7,121

IUc2016
Posted
14 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

I spent a couple minutes trying to figure out why a bunch of dudes he didn't play with were hugging him and just moved on. It wasn't until right now that I realized it was Myles lol. The portal era is hard.

Definitely not hard to spot Goode's bright red hair in that pic though lol

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