(2026) - Ethan Taylor

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

1 hour ago, Scotty R said:

We might not have the top tier money like UK or KU but I still think we are a top 10-15

I am not worried about it because the programs that have been the best the last few years aren't too spenders like UCONN, Florida, Houston and Purdue 

Too each their own.  Everyone can spin the narratives whatever way they want. We haven’t been relevant for 30-40 years.  We are trying to recruit top end players while not having top end money (allegedly). Rabjohns just said not top ten.  So where we fall is anyone’s guess. But ultimately if we are going after top guys that want top end money we will have a deficit to overcome.  I can understand the argument for not even going after those guys.  I’ve stated many times it can be done with the right coach and the right guys. However, having the resources to mostly get the guys you want to get gives you a competive advantage assuming you aren’t going after guys that only care about money.  DeVries will get to start his narrative soon but I don’t see any reason for Rabjohns to share the opinion he did besides resetting fans recruiting expectations.  
 

ALL this said, I feel pretty good about Ethan.  He seems like our #1 5 man prospect. Let’s see if we can win this one. 

Edited September 20 by WayneFleekHoosier

[Scotty R 3,794]

29 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Too each their own.  Everyone can spin the narratives whatever way they want. We haven’t been relevant for 30-40 years.  We are trying to recruit top end players while not having top end money (allegedly). Rabjohns just said not top ten.  So where we fall is anyone’s guess. But ultimately if we are going after top guys that want top end money we will have a deficit to overcome.  I can understand the argument for not even going after those guys.  I’ve stated many times it can be done with the right coach and the right guys. However, having the resources to mostly get the guys you want to get gives you a competive advantage assuming you aren’t going after guys that only care about money.  DeVries will get to start his narrative soon but I don’t see any reason for Rabjohns to share the opinion he did besides resetting fans recruiting expectations.  
 

ALL this said, I feel pretty good about Ethan.  He seems like our #1 5 man prospect. Let’s see if we can win this one. 

So why do you care if we have top 10 money because it isn't all that important. The champions since the NIL has not went out and spent he.money on transfers

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

1 hour ago, Scotty R said:

So why do you care if we have top 10 money because it isn't all that important. The champions since the NIL has not went out and spent he.money on transfers

Because staticiscally the top spenders win more than not.  Puts you at a competive advantage especially if the one spending has the proper skills.  Let’s see who we sign for next year and our results for this year then we will have a pretty good idea if we should have hired Dusty May a year ago. But then again Michigan opened the checkbook in spectacular fashion.  So….  Good choice by Dusty?

[Uspshoosier 54,741]

1 hour ago, Scotty R said:

So why do you care if we have top 10 money because it isn't all that important. The champions since the NIL has not went out and spent he.money on transfers

Optics on how IU looks to the rest of college basketball.   Some are more worried about the  optics of IU as a program then they are about the actual results it seems like to me.    Also some was wanting IU to enter the up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A start  cheat code to erase 25 years of mediocrity and IU enter the top of the sport again magically with NIL 

[HoosierHoopster 8,939]

48 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

Optics on how IU looks to the rest of college basketball.   Some are more worried about the  optics of IU as a program then they are about the actual results it seems like to me.    Also some was wanting IU to enter the up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A start  cheat code to erase 25 years of mediocrity and IU enter the top of the sport again magically with NIL 

Agree. The reality is that the program needs rebuilding (again) after 8 years of mediocrity under CAM and mediocre Mike. Won’t happen in 1 year and yelling about how we should have immediate top 10 money and recruits and then saying we’ll see if he does well this year is a dead end game.

Can DeVries build IU up with his transfers, recruiting, development and system? Personally I think he will. He’s a basketball mind with proven program development history and coached for years under and with  top tier coaching staffs. This season will tell us some things but it won’t happen over night. For me, in 2-3 seasons we’ll have a pretty clear picture of where he can take IU

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

1 hour ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Agree. The reality is that the program needs rebuilding (again) after 8 years of mediocrity under CAM and mediocre Mike. Won’t happen in 1 year and yelling about how we should have immediate top 10 money and recruits and then saying we’ll see if he does well this year is a dead end game.

Can DeVries build IU up with his transfers, recruiting, development and system? Personally I think he will. He’s a basketball mind with proven program development history and coached for years under and with  top tier coaching staffs. This season will tell us some things but it won’t happen over night. For me, in 2-3 seasons we’ll have a pretty clear picture of where he can take IU

Funny how fans view things.  This post gets all the likes. 
 

Yet, Michigan and Louisville did exactly what I’m hoping Indiana can do in a year.  IT CAN be done in a year.  It’s hard. It takes luck, skill, and money but it can happen. Both teams are now consensus top 10 teams this year and will project that way forward so long as they have top 25 results this year.  IT CAN be done. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

2 hours ago, Uspshoosier said:

Optics on how IU looks to the rest of college basketball.   Some are more worried about the  optics of IU as a program then they are about the actual results it seems like to me.    Also some was wanting IU to enter the up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A start  cheat code to erase 25 years of mediocrity and IU enter the top of the sport again magically with NIL 

It’s all part of the puzzle. My post above shows it can be done.  Will it for Indiana?  Probably not.  Maybe?  But we will give excuses for 4 years like all the same people did here for the start of Archie and Woodson’s tenure if it gets off to a rocky start.  I’ll also give 2 years.  But we should have a pretty good idea after year 1 if we are being honest with ourselves. Next years team will basically be a brand new team.  So by that rationale we are at year 3 before we can judge.  In the NIl era where he built the team with his guys and 10 million dollars.  Wild sometimes the gymnastics that happens to be optimistic.  I’m a realist. And the real has been real bad. 
 

We will all rally like hell that DeVries gets it going.  We’ll have our answers in 6 months. 

[HoosierHoopster 8,939]

27 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Funny how fans view things.  This post gets all the likes. 
 

Yet, Michigan and Louisville did exactly what I’m hoping Indiana can do in a year.  IT CAN be done in a year.  It’s hard. It takes luck, skill, and money but it can happen. Both teams are now consensus top 10 teams this year and will project that way forward so long as they have top 25 results this year.  IT CAN be done. 

Neither was a complete rebuild of all players after the former coach turned the team into one of the worst shooting teams in the country over 4 years of horrible coaching, and completely disregarded recruiting and building ties with HS and AAU programs to instead throw money — lots of money and the same money you keep talking about — at multiple portal players, several of whom were highly regarded individually, but who did not fit as a team and failed because of lack of a good coach and system and for a ridiculous, outdated style of front court based basketball. And that was after the Miller years. No, those 2 programs are not apples to apples and even if they were they’re outliers.
You can say you want immediate results with money until the cows come home, it doesn’t make it more likely. We all wsnt fast results, but with a complete rebuild with 0 returning players and a new coach, immediate high end results just aren’t likely. If DeVries does it it will be special. Regardless, at this point I’m optimistic for a 2-3 year turnaround— and hello, Crean’s rebuild from nothing to the Cody - Yogi year and Vic’s development is at least a lower bar.

[Pagoda 5,790]

I don’t follow the concerns here.

I think most fans, and more importantly the university, expects to make the tourney this season.  You don’t spend a boatload changing the whole coaching staff and then $10M on players, including several one year guys, to do anything less.

Louisville made the tourney as an 8 seed and in the round of 64 got whooped by Creighton. Pretty good first season given their rebuild, but not exactly amazing.  Then they had a very good recruiting class.  We’ll see how they do.  They aren’t some permanent top-10 program yet.

At this point I don’t see why IU couldn’t do that — as in make the tourney without much drama in season 1 of a new coach.  I think in season 2 of CDD we can be a consistent top-20 team, maybe better.  Will it happen?  I don’t know.  It’s September.

We’ll have a good idea if CDD can coach at IU after this season.  I say “at IU” because coaches don’t always translate here.  If he can coach here, it will take some time to build up to where we can win the conference and make a real tourney run.  Season 2 at best to do that (that would be amazing), season 3 more likely.  I don’t know.

[Uspshoosier 54,741]

1 hour ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Maybe?  But we will give excuses for 4 years like all the same people did here for the start of Archie and Woodson’s tenure if it gets off to a rocky start

Not everyone needs to gives excuses.  IU as a program will  figure it out or they won’t.  Either way I will be watching regardless.  I will let other people other than me  worry about the other stuff like optics of where IU stands in the pecking order or how much money they have.  November can’t get here fast enough. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

Neither was a complete rebuild of all players after the former coach turned the team into one of the worst shooting teams in the country over 4 years of horrible coaching, and completely disregarded recruiting and building ties with HS and AAU programs to instead throw money — lots of money and the same money you keep talking about — at multiple portal players, several of whom were highly regarded individually, but who did not fit as a team and failed because of lack of a good coach and system and for a ridiculous, outdated style of front court based basketball. And that was after the Miller years. No, those 2 programs are not apples to apples and even if they were they’re outliers.
You can say you want immediate results with money until the cows come home, it doesn’t make it more likely. We all wsnt fast results, but with a complete rebuild with 0 returning players and a new coach, immediate high end results just aren’t likely. If DeVries does it it will be special. Regardless, at this point I’m optimistic for a 2-3 year turnaround— and hello, Crean’s rebuild from nothing to the Cody - Yogi year and Vic’s development is at least a lower bar.

Louisville was In the toilet with their last coach who did everything wrong. Lost at historic levels. Prior to that they had stripper scandals and a national title taken away. The team was totally new with an unproven mid major coach. What are we even talking about?

Michigan was a good corollary to us actually. Juwan Howard and Mike Woodson. Woodson was actually better at the end. And while I don’t disagree, DeVries decided no one returns where some guys would/could have. Dusty mostly brought the impact guys in to a Michigan. It’s a very relevant comparison in about everyway.


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[HoosierHoopster 8,939]

56 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

 

Louisville was In the toilet with their last coach who did everything wrong. Lost at historic levels. Prior to that they had stripper scandals and a national title taken away. The team was totally new with an unproven mid major coach. What are we even talking about?

Michigan was a good corollary to us actually. Juwan Howard and Mike Woodson. Woodson was actually better at the end. And while I don’t disagree, DeVries decided no one returns where some guys would/could have. Dusty mostly brought the impact guys in to a Michigan. It’s a very relevant comparison in about everyway.


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Naah disagree those are clearly different you’re reaching to try to support your view (no offense intended). Our total revamp with 0 returning players after complete departure from normal recruiting and basically 8 years of crap is pretty unique. It is what it is. If you can’t believe that 2-3 years is a reasonable turn around time that’s your call, I just don’t agree. Our hopes are similar, but our expectations differ 

[mike vannice 500]

1 hour ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

 

Louisville was In the toilet with their last coach who did everything wrong. Lost at historic levels. Prior to that they had stripper scandals and a national title taken away. The team was totally new with an unproven mid major coach. What are we even talking about?

Michigan was a good corollary to us actually. Juwan Howard and Mike Woodson. Woodson was actually better at the end. And while I don’t disagree, DeVries decided no one returns where some guys would/could have. Dusty mostly brought the impact guys in to a Michigan. It’s a very relevant comparison in about everyway.


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Ethan Taylor??

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,881]

[Home Jersey 16,942]

All this handwringing about the same concerns that have existed all offseason... don't get it. The season will be here soon enough and we will see what we are working with. Win and the rest will tend to take care of itself. Just landed one of our top targets in the 2027 class. Seems like money is not an issue right now. Wayne, I respect your POV but it's like you're the accountant for the program lol 

[Stuhoo 91,365]

Pull that trigger Ethan Taylor

[Demo 25,028]

3 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Pull that trigger Ethan Taylor

Feels like that might be asking a lot, but beating a top 10 team, ruining the season of the loathed Illini and not 1 but 2 basketball commitments all in the same weekend would be….strong.

[Stuhoo 91,365]

23 minutes ago, Demo said:

Feels like that might be asking a lot, but beating a top 10 team, ruining the season of the loathed Illini and not 1 but 2 basketball commitments all in the same weekend would be….strong.

Feeling strong 

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,917]

Feeling strong 

Love that! Would be a BIG addition. Seems Kansas and Kinney want to talk though, no?


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[mike vannice 500]

Maybe Prince needs to talk with Mr. Taylor.