Indiana men’s basketball has ended the 2025-26 season, the first under Darian DeVries, in almost exactly the same way it ended the 2024-25 season, the last under Mike Woodson.
When the Woodson-DeVries transition first took place, there were questions about which members of the 24-25 roster may elect to remain with the program. The answer ended up being “none,” as every player with remaining eligibility entered the transfer portal and committed elsewhere. Was that the players’ decision or DeVries’?
No idea.
But! There’s a hypothetical there now that we have the benefit of hindsight. Some of that talent probably could’ve really helped this team win a few more games and make it into the NCAA Tournament.
So, which members of Woodson’s final Indiana roster would’ve helped this team the most? Let’s discuss.
- LCN: I think Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako could’ve really helped this team. These Hoosiers were really, really hurting for an inside scoring presence and Reneau could’ve slid over to the five to give them the post scorer they needed to play off of floor spacers like Lamar Wilkerson and Nick Dorn. Mgbako has been out hurt for Texas A&M, but would’ve provided some size and 3-point shooting that could’ve made for some more interesting lineups.
- Colin: Reneau is the easy one for me, given how much Indiana needed some inside scoring. He was never quite the true rim-protecting big that Woodson liked, but his offensive versatility surrounded by more perimeter shooters would have been intriguing for sure. My second choice is going to be a bit of a wildcard, but with his 14.6 ppg at FAU, it looks like Kanaan Carlye found the spark that made him one of the top portal prospects two seasons ago. I liked him as a prospect then and think his quick burst would have given the backcourt something it missed this year, especially when Tayton Conerway wasn’t on the floor.
