Indiana Basketball Pro Day an Intriguing Sign For Program's Future

The fact that Indiana is hosting an NBA Pro Day shows that coach Mike Woodson is serious about attracting top talent.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the first time in program history, Indiana will host a Pro Day on Friday prior to Hoosier Hysteria. Representatives from all 30 NBA teams are invited to watch the 2022-23 Hoosiers go through a pro-style combine workout. 

"I think when you've got high expectations and you've got a few players that might have a crack at playing at the next level, it's OK to invite the NBA world into your life," Woodson said. "I'm not afraid of that. I don't think it put any added pressure on our players."

It's a promising sign of growth for the program. Not the kind that will move the Hoosiers up the AP poll or improve their résumé ahead of the NCAA Tournament’s Selection Sunday, but it shows that Indiana is serious about producing NBA talent, and in turn, attracting top high school talent. 

Make no mistake, Woodson isn't the first coach to bring this kind of exposure to a college program. Kentucky has held a Pro Day for years and even broadcasts it on the SEC Network. Duke, Auburn and Louisville, among others, are known to welcome NBA scouts to see their teams in the preseason. Arkansas added one this year, and even Nevada held a Pro Day in 2018. 

This doesn't mean Indiana will win more games in the 2022-23 season simply because it held a Pro Day, but it's a step in the right direction as Woodson tries to build Indiana back into a Big Ten and national title contender. Because if those goals are going to be accomplished, attracting high-level talent is where it all starts. 

Take Indiana freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino, a five-star recruit and the No. 23 player in his class, for example. A prominent reason he chose Indiana is the belief that Woodson's NBA coaching experience could help him develop into an NBA talent. 

Proving the ability to continually produce NBA talent has become especially important in the new landscape of college basketball. Coaches now have to compete for recruits with teams like the G League Ignite, an organization whose goal is to develop the top young prospects for the NBA Draft. 

Ignite competes against other NBA G League teams, which are comprised of players on the cusp of NBA rosters, as well as international teams. Scoot Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, chose to play for Ignite over offers from a slew of Power 5 college programs. 

Indiana fifth-year forward Miller Kopp offered an interesting perspective on the potential impact.

"A lot of times I think some colleges are afraid and don't want to talk about the NBA or anything like that because they may think it takes away from the focus of now and the need and the want to win now," Kopp said. "But I think our staff and coach Woody and (athletic director) Scott Dolson, they're not afraid to swallow that pill about guys who want to come to college because they want to go pro. That's where I think the best players in the country in high school have aspirations and dreams of going to the NBA, so guys in high school I think will see that and see how serious this program is and this school is about getting guys to the league and having success here so you can have success at the next level."

Indiana currently has seven former players signed to NBA rosters, which ranks third among Big Ten teams behind Michigan (12) and Michigan State (8). But the Hoosiers haven't had a player selected in the last three NBA Drafts and Romeo Langford is the only draft pick since OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant in 2017.

If Woodson achieves his goal of winning Big Ten and national titles, it will be for reasons much greater than hosting a Pro Day. But perhaps this can be looked back on as an early point of growth contributing to that trajectory. 

"I think they are excited about it, really, to be able to let the NBA world come in and watch practice and see who's doing what," Woodson said. "Hell, it might enhance them to play harder and better."

Related stories on Indiana basketball:

• JACKSON-DAVIS GARNERS PRESEASON HONOR: Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis earned Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year honors on Thursday. The conference also released the 11-player 2022-23 Preseason All-Big Ten team. CLICK HERE
• RACE THOMPSON BACK FOR SIXTH SEASON: Race Thompson's return to Indiana was in question at the end of last season, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to run it back alongside Trayce Jackson-Davis, coach Mike Woodson and a talented freshman class. Thompson says, "the sky's the limit" for the 2022-23 Indiana men's basketball team. CLICK HERE
• TREY GALLOWAY RETURNS FROM GROIN SURGERY: Indiana men's basketball guard Trey Galloway dealt with injuries throughout the 2021-22 season, and he underwent groin surgery in June. At Indiana basketball media day, Galloway said, 'I'm pretty much back to 100 percent normal.' CLICK HERE
• WOODSON PREVIEWS SEASON:Indiana men's basketball coach Mike Woodson appeared on the College Hoops Today podcast with Jon Rothstein on Monday to discuss how he's handling high expectations in year two, the freshman class, breakout candidates and more. CLICK HERE