From Isiah Thomas to Victor Oladipo, Indiana University basketball has a storied history of producing great NBA talent. Seven former Hoosiers look to continue this legacy as they take the floor during this NBA season.
OG Anunoby
Expectations might be highest for New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, who hopes to stay healthy in his first full season as a member of the Knicks — a team with championship aspirations. Connecting on 38.2% of his three-point attempts and serving as a premier defender, Anunoby averaged 14.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season while spending time with the Toronto Raptors and Knicks.
During his time at Indiana, Anunoby played a pivotal role in the team’s run to the Sweet 16 in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 7.7 points per game during the tournament while being an elite contributor on the defensive end of the floor. The following year, he was selected with the 23rd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Raptors.
Following a 23-point loss to the Boston Celtics on opening night, Anunoby and the Knicks bounced back with a commanding 25-point victory against the Indiana Pacers last Friday.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Kel’el Ware comprise the list of recent IU alumni, who are still looking to establish themselves in the NBA.
Trayce Jackson-Davis
After setting new school records for career blocks and rebounds and being named a consensus First-Team All-American his senior year, Jackson-Davis was acquired by the Golden State Warriors as part of a draft day trade in 2023.
Jackson-Davis played 68 games last season and is projected to play a key role as the Warriors’ starting center this season.
Jalen Hood-Schifino
His college teammate, Hood-Schifino, enjoyed success in his one and done season at Indiana, starting all 32 games played and averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. This stat line propelled him to the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.
A first-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023, Hood-Schifino only appeared in 21 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 1.6 points per game prior to undergoing back surgery in March. He aims to return to the court healthy and earn a role in the guard rotation this season.
While the Lakers are off to a hot start, starting off the season 3-0 for the first time since 2010 before losing to the Phoenix Suns on Monday, Hood-Schifino has yet to see the court.
Kel’el Ware
The Miami Heat selected Ware with the 15th pick in this year’s NBA draft. The 7-footer flashed the ability to space the floor and protect the rim at a high level throughout his sophomore season at Indiana, being named to the All-Big Ten Second Team.
While Ware struggled from behind the arc during the NBA preseason, converting on just 18% of his 3-pointers through five games, he showcased some of his shot-blocking ability, swatting 1.2 shots a game.
Ware’s Miami teammate Thomas Bryant leads a group of established Indiana alumni looking to continue their NBA journeys.
Thomas Bryant
Bryant still holds the school record for the highest single season field goal percentage by shooting 68.3% from the field as a freshman while being a primary factor in the school’s run to the Sweet 16 during the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
After two seasons at Indiana, he was drafted in the second round by the Utah Jazz and traded to the Lakers on draft day in 2017. Playing with his fourth team in seven seasons, Bryant looks to reprise his role as a rotational center for the Heat this year.
Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon’s successful basketball career goes all the way back to his time with the Hoosiers during the 2007-2008 NCAA season. Prior to being selected No. 7 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 NBA draft, he scored 669 points in his one and only college season, marking a Big Ten and IU freshman record for most points scored in a season.
At 35, Gordon enters his 16th season as a pro and first with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he will look to provide valuable three-point shooting.
Cody Zeller
Cody Zeller, a Washington, Indiana, native, spent two seasons at the school before being selected No. 4 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the then-Charlotte Bobcats.
At Indiana, Zeller secured a First Team All-Big Ten spot, averaging a team best 16.5 points and 8.1 rebounds his sophomore year. The big man finished his college playing days with a career 59.1 field goal percentage –– the best in school history.
After eight seasons in the NBA with Charlotte, and stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Heat, and New Orleans Pelicans, Zeller was a part of a sign-and-trade deal in July that landed him in Atlanta for his first season with the Hawks.
