New Look, New Coach: Indiana’s 2025 Roster Takes Shape with Big Questions in the Frontcourt
The Indiana men’s basketball roster for the 2025–26 season is nearly finalized.
This will mark Darian DeVries’ first year leading the Hoosiers, and he’s made a strong early impression by aggressively rebuilding the team through the transfer portal—faster and more thoroughly than many expected.
DeVries also assembled a well-compensated coaching staff. Familiar names for Indiana fans include Kenny Johnson and Drew Adams, while newcomers Nick Norton and Rod Clark may be less known. Norton has been a longtime associate of DeVries, playing under him at Drake and later joining his staff. Clark arrives from Tennessee, where he played a significant role in recruiting Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier, two standout players in the Volunteers’ consecutive Elite Eight runs.
In terms of personnel, the roster leans heavily toward guards, and while the frontcourt lacks depth, it’s well-suited to the style of play DeVries appears to favor. However, this leaves some tough choices when it comes to the starting lineup.
One scenario involves starting Reed Bailey, a versatile forward from Davidson who can handle the ball and shoot, at center. This would push Tucker DeVries—a natural fit at power forward—into the four spot, resulting in a lineup that might be considered undersized by Big Ten standards.
Another option is to start Sam Alexis, a transfer from Florida, at the five. Though he was primarily a bench player on last season’s national title team and stands just 6’8″, Alexis is a proven shot blocker and would embrace a low-usage role on offense. Notably, Florida’s defense was ranked 16th in KenPom last year with a similarly sized center.
It all comes down to a strategic decision—balancing size, defense, and spacing. The final call? That’s up to the coaching staff… and the fans to debate.
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