(2026) - Anthony Thompson to O$U

[HoosierDevils 187]

2 minutes ago, Hoosierfanyuh said:

I can’t shake that were the only adidas school. I’ll be cautiously optimistic 

I’m thinking about this too. When I saw the news of Karvala I had assumed it’s because Thompson’s out, but seeing that Allmond scheduled a last minute OV to Maryland makes me think that maybe I had it backwards. 

[JimmerNoe 1,234]

I know it’s not necessarily a sure thing to build one way or another in the portal/NIL era, and there are differences in opinion on where money should go…

But I would love to see us just one offseason drop a metric **** ton of cash on a top five guy and let the chips fall. Give us some recruiting clout and send someone to the league who ends up being an all star level ambassador for IU.

If it works out, we have a monster year and suddenly become a destination for top 10ish players year in and year out. If it doesn’t work out, we probably still have a year like the ones we are getting used to and then you can start fresh one year later.

i just want to win one of the “big time”recruitments I suppose.

[Scotty R 3,848]

1 hour ago, HoosierDevils said:

I’m thinking about this too. When I saw the news of Karvala I had assumed it’s because Thompson’s out, but seeing that Allmond scheduled a last minute OV to Maryland makes me think that maybe I had it backwards. 

I thought since his visit to IU and didn't take other visits we were a lock for him. Now that he took other visits and Maryland this weekend makes me a little worried about getting him

As for Thompson what I have read it is between us and OSU and IU and MSU for Taylor. I would love to get all 3 but would be thrilled with two.

 

[madtownhoosier 79]

I'm not usually the downer type, but I have a bad feeling we aren't getting any of the three.  Just reading the tea leaves here.  Taylor to MSU, Thompson to OSU, and Almond to Maryland is my guess.  $$$ wins out on this one. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.

Edited October 7 by madtownhoosier

[Home Jersey 17,269]

1 minute ago, madtownhoosier said:

I'm not usually the downer type, but I have a bad feeling we aren't getting any of the three.  Just reading the tea leaves here.  Taylor to MSU, Thompson to OSU, and Almond to Maryland is my guess.  $$$ wins out on this one. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.

I get a similar read but haven't followed the recruitments super closely, so who knows. If "$$$ wins out" is an accurate description and we go 0/3, I'll be very curious to understand the profile of a recruit this staff finds worthy of shelling out top dollar to get. I don't hate having dry powder for the portal at all, tbh. But I would find it a bit concerning/confusing to prioritize guys we know will want to get paid, then hold our hat in hand when it gets to decision time. Not saying that's what's happening at all, don't pretend to know. I realize it may not happen in the 2026 HS class, but it would be really nice to target and land some top talent. 

[TheWatShot 15,872]

34 minutes ago, madtownhoosier said:

I'm not usually the downer type, but I have a bad feeling we aren't getting any of the three.  Just reading the tea leaves here.  Taylor to MSU, Thompson to OSU, and Almond to Maryland is my guess.  $$$ wins out on this one. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.

Most likely. I'd like to sign at least 3 or 4 in the fall each year, so that we don't enter spring fearing an exodus and needing a sh*t ton of players, but nothing ever comes easily for this program on the recruiting circuit.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 94,830]

2 minutes ago, TheWatShot said:

 but nothing ever comes easily for this program on the recruiting circuit.

And it likely won't until we can start being a competitive program on the court.

[rayl456 1,097]

4 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

And it likely won't until we can start being a competitive program on the court.

This 100%.  

[WayneFleekHoosier 52,133]

32 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

I get a similar read but haven't followed the recruitments super closely, so who knows. If "$$$ wins out" is an accurate description and we go 0/3, I'll be very curious to understand the profile of a recruit this staff finds worthy of shelling out top dollar to get. I don't hate having dry powder for the portal at all, tbh. But I would find it a bit concerning/confusing to prioritize guys we know will want to get paid, then hold our hat in hand when it gets to decision time. Not saying that's what's happening at all, don't pretend to know. I realize it may not happen in the 2026 HS class, but it would be really nice to target and land some top talent. 

Interesting how the Blueblood programs with money never take a long lull in recruiting pre or post NIL.   Indiana pre-NIL had excuses. (Holier than thou mentality type stuff). Post NIL we ponied up enough to be top 10 for 2 years.   That well seems to have dried up, particularly with Football’s success and our decision to rely on revenue sharing.  DeVries came here with top 10 resource expectations and I don’t believe he’s getting that.  
 

Now granted, maybe that’s not what we need.  Maybe we need guys with chips on their shoulders.  Maybe we just need to outwork everyone as much as one can.  But then again that’s what the Iowa’s of the world do and Indiana shouldn’t theoretically be in that spot.  
 

It’s always been a Me problem.  I have viewed basketball as fringe Blueblood with top 10 resources and believe we should act like it.  But I guess the proof is in the pudding and we just aren’t that.  

[Uspshoosier 55,012]

Branham had is weekly report and said it’s a toss up between IU and OSU and won’t put a crystal ball in yet but said he would lean OSU if he had to pick.  

[ronzo4IU 461]

33 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Interesting how the Blueblood programs with money never take a long lull in recruiting pre or post NIL.   Indiana pre-NIL had excuses. (Holier than thou mentality type stuff). Post NIL we ponied up enough to be top 10 for 2 years.   That well seems to have dried up, particularly with Football’s success and our decision to rely on revenue sharing.  DeVries came here with top 10 resource expectations and I don’t believe he’s getting that.  
 

Now granted, maybe that’s not what we need.  Maybe we need guys with chips on their shoulders.  Maybe we just need to outwork everyone as much as one can.  But then again that’s what the Iowa’s of the world do and Indiana shouldn’t theoretically be in that spot.  
 

It’s always been a Me problem.  I have viewed basketball as fringe Blueblood with top 10 resources and believe we should act like it.  But I guess the proof is in the pudding and we just aren’t that.  

I have never understood the "blue blood" thing.  As far back as I can remember (mid 80's) did we ever get blue chip players year in and year out, but rather one here and there?  The 87 Championship team were usually underdogs in the tournament and had several Juco players on it which showed off Knights coaching expertise.  When have we ever operated like a blue blood program?  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 94,830]

Jamie Shaw put out his predictions within the past hour and went 50/50 between us and O$U.

[WayneFleekHoosier 52,133]

33 minutes ago, ronzo4IU said:

I have never understood the "blue blood" thing.  As far back as I can remember (mid 80's) did we ever get blue chip players year in and year out, but rather one here and there?  The 87 Championship team were usually underdogs in the tournament and had several Juco players on it which showed off Knights coaching expertise.  When have we ever operated like a blue blood program?  

Good point. I guess never.  But championships, measureables, money, eyes, media and resources always put us in that conversation. 
 

We just haven’t used those resources wisely, time and time again.  Every year we slip a little further from “BlueBlood” criteria.  

[Scotty R 3,848]

1 hour ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Interesting how the Blueblood programs with money never take a long lull in recruiting pre or post NIL.   Indiana pre-NIL had excuses. (Holier than thou mentality type stuff). Post NIL we ponied up enough to be top 10 for 2 years.   That well seems to have dried up, particularly with Football’s success and our decision to rely on revenue sharing.  DeVries came here with top 10 resource expectations and I don’t believe he’s getting that.  
 

Now granted, maybe that’s not what we need.  Maybe we need guys with chips on their shoulders.  Maybe we just need to outwork everyone as much as one can.  But then again that’s what the Iowa’s of the world do and Indiana shouldn’t theoretically be in that spot.  
 

It’s always been a Me problem.  I have viewed basketball as fringe Blueblood with top 10 resources and believe we should act like it.  But I guess the proof is in the pudding and we just aren’t that.  

I assume if money had dried up some it would be from the Woodson guys who weren't happy of his firing

[Scotty R 3,848]

41 minutes ago, ronzo4IU said:

I have never understood the "blue blood" thing.  As far back as I can remember (mid 80's) did we ever get blue chip players year in and year out, but rather one here and there?  The 87 Championship team were usually underdogs in the tournament and had several Juco players on it which showed off Knights coaching expertise.  When have we ever operated like a blue blood program?  

The 87 team didn't have blue chip players but were the overall #1 seed in the tournament 

[WayneFleekHoosier 52,133]

4 minutes ago, Scotty R said:

I assume if money had dried up some it would be from the Woodson guys who weren't happy of his firing

That and the reliance on revenue sharing. I don’t think it dried up but I think it “comparatively” dried up compared to what other schools are doing.  Our 5-10 Million was way ahead of the curve.  Now it’s not.  

[Scotty R 3,848]

1 minute ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

That and the reliance on revenue sharing. I don’t think it dried up but I think it “comparatively” dried up compared to what other schools are doing.  Our 5-10 Million was way ahead of the curve.  Now it’s not.  

How do you know we are relying more on revenue sharing than NIL

[Pagoda 6,328]

I tend to doubt our MBB rev share/NIL has changed from whatever it was planned to be when CDD signed.

I’m quite sure Scott made $ commitments to CDD and CDD required those to take the job.  I doubt Scott has reneged on those commitments seven months into CDD’s tenure.  It’s not his style.  We know Scott exceeded the promises to Cig, notably before Cig had coached a game.

So far this is mostly coming from Rabby saying our NIL is down and we aren’t among the top schools.  Maybe he is right, maybe not, I haven’t found anyone to corroborate this yet. And what does this mean?  I agree we aren’t top-5, that’s fairly obvious.  Are we #8?  #12?  #15?  Don’t know.

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions yet — there isn’t enough evidence either way that I am aware of. This is just my viewpoint, I could be wrong.

[HoosierDevils 187]

14 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I tend to doubt our MBB rev share/NIL has changed from whatever it was planned to be when CDD signed.

I’m quite sure Scott made $ commitments to CDD and CDD required those to take the job.  I doubt Scott has reneged on those commitments seven months into CDD’s tenure.  It’s not his style.  We know Scott exceeded the promises to Cig, notably before Cig had coached a game.

So far this is mostly coming from Rabby saying our NIL is down and we aren’t among the top schools.  Maybe he is right, maybe not, I haven’t found anyone to corroborate this yet. And what does this mean?  I agree we aren’t top-5, that’s fairly obvious.  Are we #8?  #12?  #15?  Don’t know.

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions yet — there isn’t enough evidence either way that I am aware of. This is just my viewpoint, I could be wrong.

Great point. The assumptions about NIL are also a bit tricky. I think a lot of people’s priors is that it’s a “blue blood” versus not type of thing and it’s not. It’s about which places have super super wealthy individuals who “consume” collegiate athletics by playing GM. Schools that dominate NIL are schools like SMU, Texas Tech, Miami, Oregon, etc. My point is that these are not the schools we’re (potentially) losing some of these targets to nor is it clear what is meant by top 5 versus top 15 NIL or the extent to which the margin matters when accounting for facilities, coaching, development, pro prospects, media exposure, etc. 

Edited October 7 by HoosierDevils

[Stuhoo 92,446]

15 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I tend to doubt our MBB rev share/NIL has changed from whatever it was planned to be when CDD signed.

I’m quite sure Scott made $ commitments to CDD and CDD required those to take the job.  I doubt Scott has reneged on those commitments seven months into CDD’s tenure.  It’s not his style.  We know Scott exceeded the promises to Cig, notably before Cig had coached a game.

So far this is mostly coming from Rabby saying our NIL is down and we aren’t among the top schools.  Maybe he is right, maybe not, I haven’t found anyone to corroborate this yet. And what does this mean?  I agree we aren’t top-5, that’s fairly obvious.  Are we #8?  #12?  #15?  Don’t know.

I wouldn’t jump to conclusions yet — there isn’t enough evidence either way that I am aware of. This is just my viewpoint, I could be wrong.

I believe that Rabby has stated that he estimates we are between 10th and 15th in basketball NIL. That is plenty to build a strong roster.