Hoosiers Now

'Iron Sharpens Iron': Breaking Down Indiana's Competition at Small Forward

Indiana head coach Mike Woodson has compiled Indiana's deepest and most talented team in recent years, creating serious competition for minutes. "Fighting for the starting spot, the three spot, is really competitive," Indiana freshman Kaleb Banks said. Let's break down the candidates to start at small forward.

Jack Ankony

When Trayce Jackson-Davis announced his return to Indiana, he said the 2022-2023 squad is the best team he's been on in four years as a Hoosier.

Mike Woodson secured a top-10 class in his first full recruiting cycle, and Indiana ranks second in the nation in percentage of returning minutes, including four starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team. The Hoosiers sit atop the Big Ten in nearly every preseason rankings list, and on paper, Indiana has the makings of conference title contender.

For now, that's all talk. Preseason rankings won't matter come Big Ten play, but if offseason press conferences are any indication, it appears the Hoosiers are well aware of that. Each player has harped on the high level of competition in practice this summer, battling for starting roles, striving to make each other better, and in turn, the team as a whole.

Jordan Geronimo said Director of Athletic Performance Clif Marshall uses the phrase 'iron sharpens iron' to describe need for players to push each other to improve. It's also a sign of Indiana's depth and talent, which appears to be higher than it's been in recent years.

Point guard Xavier Johnson, along with forwards Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis, are very likely to retain starting roles, but filling the gaps in between is where the competition seems to lie. Freshman five-star recruit Jalen Hood-Schifino could step into a starting role right away, saying he fits well alongside Johnson in the back court. But an area that has been particularly competitive is the battle for the starting small forward position.

"I knew it was going to be competitive during practices," freshman Kaleb Banks said. "Fighting for the starting spot, the three spot is really competitive."

Let's break down the potential candidates to start at small forward.

Miller Kopp

  • Last season: 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 25.5 mpg, 86.5 FT pct, 35.6 FG pct, 36.1 3-pt FG pct
  • Height and weight: 6-foot-7, 215 pounds
  • Eligibility: senior
  • The Skinny: We'll begin with the player that started at small forward for all 35 games last year. Kopp transferred to Indiana from Northwestern before the 2021-2022 season to provide 3-point shooting and experience. Kopp shot 36.1 percent from 3, which ranked third – behind Parker Stewart at 39.3 and Xavier Johnson at 38.3 percent – on an Indiana team that finished 11th in the Big Ten with a 33.3 3-point shooting percentage. Kopp's 28-point effort on 4-for-9 3-point shooting at Syracuse on Nov. 30 provided a glimpse into his maximum potential, but Kopp scored in double figures just twice the rest of the season. And in 25 of 35 games, Kopp made one or zero 3-point shots. Kopp shot nearly 40 percent from 3 in his sophomore season at Northwestern, and if his numbers aren't closer to that mark, it's tough to see him control the starting role all season like he did last year.

Jordan Geronimo

  • Last season: 4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 12.5 mpg, 56.8 FT pct, 51.8 FG pct, 31.0 3-pt FG pct
  • Height and weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds 
  • Eligibility: Sophomore
  • The Skinny: Perhaps the most intriguing developmental storyline for Indiana this offseason is Jordan Geronimo's potential move to small forward. Geronimo has played power forward for the vast majority of his two-year career at Indiana, but he said he is working on his perimeter skills like ball-handling, decision making and 3-point shooting to be able to play both small forward and power forward in his third collegiate season. Geronimo has a smooth shooting stroke, which has been most effectively utilized for mid-range jump shots, but he's also shown the ability to knock down 3-pointers in big moments. A starting trio of Geronimo, Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis would make Indiana a dominant rebounding team, but they have played very limited in-game minutes together. If Geronimo can handle the ball and space the floor well enough to play alongside Thompson and Jackson-Davis, Indiana will be able to put its best five on the court at the same time.
  • Quote: "I have seen improvement on just making the right decision on the perimeter and also my jump shot has been getting better," Geronimo said. "In terms of handles, it’s just reps really. I’m not going to say I’m Kyrie Irving, but it’s just better. It’s getting better and seeing improvement is good sight.”

Kaleb Banks

  • Last season (high school): 23 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.4 act, 1.4 spg, 63.0 FG pct 
  • Height and weight: 6-foot-7, 200 pounds
  • Eligibility: Freshman
  • The Skinny: Potential is the word most commonly associated with Indiana's four-star freshman Kaleb Banks. At Fayette County High School in Fayetteville, Ga., Banks showed the ability to handle the ball in transition, drive to the basket, knock down 3-point shots, defend all positions and create highlight-reel dunks. There will surely be an adjustment period for Banks as he advances to the college ranks, but Banks provides a versatile skillset that Indiana hasn't had in recent years. Banks said the biggest adjustment so far has been staying locked in on defense, which is a necessity for any player earning minutes under Mike Woodson. It will be intriguing to watch Banks' improvement throughout his freshman season. 
  • Quote: "I'm still learning how good I am," Banks said. "I think I still have a lot of potential to reach ... The more I work out with these guys, the more I play with these guys, I'm unlocking my full potential more and more everyday."

Tamar Bates

  • Last season: 3.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 14.5 mpg, 33.8 FG pct, 29.8 3-pt FG pct
  • Height and weight: 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
  • Eligibility: Sophomore
  • The Skinny: While Tamar Bates is more of a shooting guard than small forward by traditional definition, his 6-foot-5 frame and long arms still give Indiana enough size on the wing with Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis down low. Bates shot the ball poorly during his freshman season – 33.8 percent on field goals and 29.8 percent from 3 – but rarely did he seem uncomfortable, unconfident or rattled. Bates showed crafty, smooth moves from all over the court, and he exuded a level of confidence that could translate into a big jump as he approaches his second year as a Hoosier. With Bates at small forward, Indiana could boast a backcourt with three talented ball-handlers and scorers, alongside point guard Xavier Johnson and freshman combo guard Jalen Hood-Schifino. 
  • Quote: “The big thing with Tamar, he got derailed last season with a couple of family things that happened in his corner," Trayce Jackson-Davis said. "That's some things you can't control, and it really messes up your mentality. I think he's back. He's got his head straight. He's ready to get to work. He's a guy that I was with all summer in the gym. He was trying to get better. As the season goes around, that mental aspect, you start to lose it a little bit, but I think this year, having one year under his belt, he's going to be able to attack that and handle that, and I'm going to be right there helping him.”

Trey Galloway

  • Last season: 5.5 ppg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 rpg, 20.8 mpg, 46.4 FG pct, 21.4 3-pt FG pct
  • Height and weight: 6-foot-4, 203 pounds
  • Eligibility: Sophomore
  • The Skinny: Trey Galloway only started three games last season, but Mike Woodson showed his trust in Galloway by inserting him into the end-of-game lineup at both shooting guard and small forward. Galloway provides a bit of everything for the Hoosiers. He can always be counted on to play hard, hustle for loose balls, play strong defense, drive to the basket and make plays for his teammates. But the most glaring issue in his first two seasons – and one that puts a cap on Galloway's productivity – has been 3-point shooting. Galloway is a career 19.7 percent 3-point shooter, connecting on 12-of-61 attempts from beyond the arc. But if utilized in a starting role, Galloway could focus on providing energy and winning plays, with the rest of the starting lineup doing the bulk of the scoring. While it shouldn't impact his availability for the start of the season, it's important to note that Galloway underwent groin surgery this offseason. Galloway provides an important skillset for the Hoosiers, and it will be interesting to see Woodson's plan for him.

Related stories on Indiana basketball:

  • KALEB BANKS' JOURNEY TO INDIANA: Kaleb Banks received 10 stitches over his eye during the state championship game, and he's gone head-to-head with Jabari Smith, the third pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The versatile freshman is quiet, humble and might not realize how good he is — or how good he can become — but surrounded by talent in a basketball-crazed environment at Indiana, Banks is right where he needs to be. CLICK HERE
  • JORDAN GERONIMO HOPING TO EXPAND ROLE: Jordan Geronimo has primarily played power forward during his first two seasons for Indiana, but he's working on perimeter skills like ball-handling, decision making and jump shooting this summer to expand his role for Mike Woodson's Hoosiers during the 2022-2023 season. CLICK HERE
  • TREY GALLOWAY UNDERGOES GROIN SURGERY: Indiana's third-year guard Trey Galloway underwent groin surgery on Tuesday, and the timetable for his recovery is unknown at this point. Galloway averaged 5.5 points for Indiana last season. CLICK HERE
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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.

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