2026-27 Roster/Portal/how to fix the roster?

[Hoosierinbham]

9 minutes ago, AKHoosier said:

I've definitely become a believer in the strategy of paying big for 2 players, then just let the chips fall where they may with the rest of the roster. 

A rising tide lifts all boats.

I still trust Devries' ability to coach up the players who aren't your top level types, and that he would figure out a way to max out everyone's talents.

Problem this year is we didn't have any top level players. Wilkerson maybe. 

Agree with focusing a big chunk of NIL on 2-3 elite players. One has to be a post and the other needs to be a scoring point and/or and elite wing that can shoot and create their own shot. It was no coincidence we went on a little run when Wilkerson became a driving threat.

[Unexpectedflash]

Another guy i think we should look at is Kevin overton. Honestly I’m very confused why we didn’t go harder after him considering he played for Devries at Drake. We probably make the tourney with him. He took another step this year with a bigger role and he didn’t commit to play for Stephen pearl 

[Unexpectedflash]

Interested to see if we go the NBA roster building route of two stars and then a bunch of really good role players with Carr at the helm. Obviously there’s no salary cap in college so if you want three stars by all means but our lack of depth this year was glaring

[str8baller]

4 minutes ago, Unexpectedflash said:

Interested to see if we go the NBA roster building route of two stars and then a bunch of really good role players with Carr at the helm. Obviously there’s no salary cap in college so if you want three stars by all means but our lack of depth this year was glaring

NBA does it because that’s how their contracts/cba is structured. But it’s structured that way because that’s kind of how it was historically shaking out under a salary cap.   
 

We’re not going to be as limited as NBA team in terms of salary, structurally speaking, but we’re going to be limited by who is in the portal and available. By most reports we’d be able to fit 3 bigger names and then spread the leftover really thin over the rest of the guys.  
 

The way you do it doesn’t matter as much as fit and getting the “bang for your buck.” Paying money to guys who can’t meaningfully contribute is what sunk this last team. 

[Home Jersey]

Go sign 3 impact players (probably 2 star guys and a 3rd wheel getting paid a bit less IMO) 

Add the 3 freshmen 

Retain Sisley, Dorn, Miles 

Bounce Ristic, Andrej, Harris, Drake and try to use that money on 2 guys with multiple years of eligibility to contribute in a very clear role.

Maybe bounce some combination of Sisley, Dorn, and / or Miles too and add another role player or two. 

[go iu bb]

On 3/12/2026 at 4:25 PM, Golfman25 said:

Then make it with a young team.  

Just spitballing here, but wouldn't it be great to make the tourney, maybe win 1 game in the first weekend? Then reload with a few pieces of need, come back the next year and go sweet 16.  Reload again with only a few pcs. and go elite 8 and beyond.  Rather than a constant turnover of the entire roster, living on the bubble every year.    

That's just crazy talk.

[str8baller]

25 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

Add the 3 freshmen 

Retain Sisley, Dorn, Miles 

2-3 of this group would have to be pretty good to give us any semblance of a bench. Our bench was poor this year.

[Home Jersey]

5 minutes ago, str8baller said:

2-3 of this group would have to be pretty good to give us any semblance of a bench. Our bench was poor this year.

Yep. IMO Dorn may make the most sense to ask to leave out of that group. I don't think his value profile is all that great - paying a lot for a guy who is pretty much just a catch and shoot threat and a defensive liability. Probably makes the most $$ of that group too.

The more I think about it the more I think we need probably no less than 6 new players. Interested to see how it shakes out in the portal. 

[str8baller]

10 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

Interested to see how it shakes out in the portal. 

This should be IU basketball’s new official slogan.  
 

We are going to have to thread some needles to win next year and continue to build for the future. 

[cbp4iu]

After listening to podcast and videos on IU’s structure of their team going into next year I think we are going to add probably 5 players from the portal. I think will spend $$$$ on 3 guys with star potential and probably the rest of the portal budget on the other 2 guys. (350-600k each) We need a Big and 2 guards (PG,SG) mostly. So if we can get 3 good top tier players, a solid/average 6th man in the big 10 and upside piece I think we can be in that 7/8 Big 10 spot which should get us a tourney bid. 

[Kentuckysucks]

57 minutes ago, cbp4iu said:

After listening to podcast and videos on IU’s structure of their team going into next year I think we are going to add probably 5 players from the portal. I think will spend $$$$ on 3 guys with star potential and probably the rest of the portal budget on the other 2 guys. (350-600k each) We need a Big and 2 guards (PG,SG) mostly. So if we can get 3 good top tier players, a solid/average 6th man in the big 10 and upside piece I think we can be in that 7/8 Big 10 spot which should get us a tourney bid. 

We need 3 bigs in the portal and 2 of them need to be really good.

[TTT]

I am still in a tizzy from the start of the 2025-2026 school year from the fall extension….into winter 2026 IU football undefeated number 1 ranked National Football Championship…. I thought the rest of the school year was cancelled.  What’s going on?  Where am I?

[Golfman25]

4 hours ago, Home Jersey said:

Yep. IMO Dorn may make the most sense to ask to leave out of that group. I don't think his value profile is all that great - paying a lot for a guy who is pretty much just a catch and shoot threat and a defensive liability. Probably makes the most $$ of that group too.

The more I think about it the more I think we need probably no less than 6 new players. Interested to see how it shakes out in the portal. 

You could always pay him less and see if he leaves.  When IU was good, they always had that 3 point sharp shooter, you could come in off the bench and get you back into the game.  

[Asha’man]

To me if we only get 2 impact players we are toast. We need 3-4 impact starters. 1 of those guys need to be All Big Ten first team. 2 need to be 3rd team/honorable mention level. Everyone else in the 8 man rotation needs to be of Big Ten contributor level. Then and only then are we making the dance and have shot at a run. We can take lesser talent than that but it lowers the ceiling. 
 

it will be great if any of the freshmen are able to contribute off the bench. 

[lillurk]

Just now, Asha’man said:

To me if we only get 2 impact players we are toast. We need 3-4 impact starters. 1 of those guys need to be All Big Ten first team. 2 need to be 3rd team/honorable mention level. Everyone else in the 8 man rotation needs to be of Big Ten contributor level. Then and only then are we making the dance and have shot at a run. We can take lesser talent than that but it lowers the ceiling. 
 

it will be great if any of the freshmen are able to contribute off the bench. 

Correct. The problems of recent vintage IU teams have been myriad, but even the successful teams should have added more talent than they did — with senior TJD we barely had 6 giys we trusted.

Nothing that happened this year made me think DDV would fail at IU, though the thing that came closest was the roster. The good news is he sees to know it based on radio show comments and the Carr hire, and of course the proof was in the pudding.

Go get good players. Easier said than done, I guess, except inasmuch as this year’s team was basically what everyone thought they were; flup a NU game or two and they have the outcome we’d be more or less satisfied with this year. Aim higher.

[str8baller]

11 minutes ago, Asha’man said:

To me if we only get 2 impact players we are toast. We need 3-4 impact starters. 1 of those guys need to be All Big Ten first team. 2 need to be 3rd team/honorable mention level. Everyone else in the 8 man rotation needs to be of Big Ten contributor level. Then and only then are we making the dance and have shot at a run. We can take lesser talent than that but it lowers the ceiling. 
 

it will be great if any of the freshmen are able to contribute off the bench. 

Just fire the coach now if that’s what you need to make the tourney. 
 

Illinois has 1 first team guy and not much else. Wisconsin has a 2nd and 3rd team guy and that’s it. PU a first and third.  Michigan is the exception. Most teams are lucky to have two guys on one of the three teams. 

[Crimson and Cream]

7 hours ago, Unexpectedflash said:

Another guy i think we should look at is Kevin overton. Honestly I’m very confused why we didn’t go harder after him this year considering he played for Devries at Drake. We probably make the tourney this year with him this year. He took another step this year with a bigger role and he didn’t commit to play for Stephen pearl 

I predicted him to be a Hoosier as soon as we hired DeVries and was also shocked he went elsewhere. 

[Golfman25]

1 hour ago, lillurk said:

Correct. The problems of recent vintage IU teams have been myriad, but even the successful teams should have added more talent than they did — with senior TJD we barely had 6 giys we trusted.

Nothing that happened this year made me think DDV would fail at IU, though the thing that came closest was the roster. The good news is he sees to know it based on radio show comments and the Carr hire, and of course the proof was in the pudding.

Go get good players. Easier said than done, I guess, except inasmuch as this year’s team was basically what everyone thought they were; flup a NU game or two and they have the outcome we’d be more or less satisfied with this year. Aim higher.

Right, we were a couple of winnable games from the tournament.  Swap a serviceable real Big10 center with Bailey and things are probably different.  Even though still a flawed roster, a lunch bucket big who’s role is to rebound and make put backs makes a difference in several games.   
 

So you have to find that guy.  But put the big money in the guards and a wing.  

[TTT]

Michigan player interview:  Honestly, this has been the best time of my life.  I have learned so much and I am glad I came to Michigan to play for coach DUSTY.  
 

I guess winning does that….It seems coach Dusty doesn’t waste words but is enthusiastic, positive, direct and to the point when addressing the team.  Short and simple….from post game video that I have watched.

[lillurk]

57 minutes ago, TTT said:

Michigan player interview:  Honestly, this has been the best time of my life.  I have learned so much and I am glad I came to Michigan to play for coach DUSTY.  
 

I guess winning does that….It seems coach Dusty doesn’t waste words but is enthusiastic, positive, direct and to the point when addressing the team.  Short and simple….from post game video that I have watched.

He’s terrific; my only questions with May are

1. when does he get a title, and how many?, and

2. does he eventually leave for an NBA job?