A coaching search that had more twists and turns than most soap operas has finally reached its conclusion. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Indiana has tapped West Virginia's Darian DeVries to be the next head coach of its men's basketball program.
Sources: Indiana is targeting West Virginia coach Darian DeVries to be the next coach, sources tell me and @jeffborzello. DeVries spent one year at WVU, where he went 19-13 and got snubbed from NCAA Tournament. He led Drake to three NCAA tournaments in four years. pic.twitter.com/76l9Iw5vAm
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 18, 2025
From pretty much the moment Mike Woodson announced back in early February that he'd be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, the rumor mill kicked into overdrive, and every prominent name with even the slightest connection to Indiana (the state or the program) took their turn. But with Brad Stevens and Dusty May politely telling the Hoosiers thanks but no thanks, AD Scott Dolson was forced to dig a little deeper.
Eventually, he landed on DeVries, who may not come with Indiana ties but does bring an impressive resume to the table. The 49-year-old Iowa native took Drake to the NCAA Tournament in three of his last four years at the helm of the Bulldogs, then brought West Virginia to the brink of the Big Dance this season despite the wreckage left by the abrupt departure of Bob Huggins. DeVries knows the Midwest, and he's won just about everywhere he's been in his coaching career.
Winning at Indiana, though, is an entirely different animal. And in the year of our lord 2025, it has to start in the transfer portal. With Gabe Cupps hitting the portal on Tuesday, Indiana has just eight scholarship players currently on the roster entering 2025-26, including two incoming freshmen.
The good news is that DeVries has some experience here: His roster at West Virginia this season was heavy on transfers, headlined by his son Tucker, a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Tucker has already confirmed he'll be following his father to Bloomington, but that needs to be only the beginning of the offseason overhaul.
1. Tucker DeVries
Tucker is much more than just the coach's kid. He's a genuine hooper, a big-bodied 6-foot-7 wing comfortable scoring in a variety of ways. He torched the MVC in three years at Drake, and he was on his way to doing the same in the Big 12 this season before his year was cut short by a shoulder injury.
DeVries hasn't played since early December, but he was averaging 14.9 points per game on 41.2 percent shooting (47.3 percent from deep) to go with 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks when he went down — and that was despite a major jump in competition. He's not the most explosive athlete, but he's extremely skilled, and he knows how to use his size to get his own shot or find the open man when help comes. He'll be an ideal offensive fulcrum
2. Owen Freeman
The second-ranked player currently in the portal according to 247Sports, Freeman had interest from Indiana out of high school before eventually committing to the Iowa Hawkeyes. He's a bit of a liability in the post defensively right now, but what he lacks in athleticism and vertical leap he more than makes up for with skill and strength on the other end: He averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 2023-24 after earning 2023-24 Big Ten Rookie of the Year last season.
Freeman isn't a two-way player, but he would give Indiana an immediate offensive fulcrum down low, and an ideal partner in the two-man game with Tucker DeVries.
3. Kennard Davis
Darian DeVries knows the Missouri Valley from his time at Drake, and he could go back to that well in order to boost Indiana's roster next season. Davis averaged 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for Southern Illinois this year while shooting 37.9 percent from 3, and he does it all from a 6-foot-6 frame that gives him genuine two-way ability.
Davis also grew his off-the-bounce game by leaps and bounds this season; plenty of those 3s game off the dribble in the pick and roll, with defenses keyed toward stopping him. Jumping up to Big Ten competition is a concern, but Davis looks the part physically, and it's easy to dream on his potential.
4. All Wright
Speaking of the Missouri Valley: Wright spent this past season starring just a few hours north of Assembly Hall at Valparaiso, where he averaged 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He particularly caught fire down the stretch, averaging 25 points a game while making half of his 3s over three games at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
DeVries figures to do most of the creating for Indiana offensively next season. The Hoosiers should focus on putting knock-down shooters around him in the backcourt, and Wright certainly qualifies.