Next Generation: 5-Star Bryson Tucker’s Uncommon Path To Indiana Bred Maturity

Instead of playing AAU basketball growing up, Indiana freshman Bryson Tucker played against older competition and refined his game with his father. That upbringing is reflected in his style of play and personality, which teammates and coaches consider uncommon for players his age.

Bryson Tucker committed to Indiana as a five-star recruit out of Bishop O'Connell High School. / Indiana Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Bryson Tucker is unlike the average college freshman.

The differences extend beyond his five-star status, three-level scoring ability and NBA potential. He’s also more accustomed to the lifestyle of working out, going to class, practicing, then training some more, from his time at IMG Academy, a boarding school in Bradenton, Fla. 

And on the court, the freshman is comfortable being the youngest. Instead of running the AAU circuit growing up, he has played against older competition since he was 11 years old. 

Tucker spoke of his preparedness entering his freshman year at Indiana not in an arrogant way, but as a matter of fact. That’s not to say he’ll automatically step into the Big Ten and dominate – he has frequently mentioned a desire to improve every day – but his immediate comfort in Bloomington explains the benefit of his uncommon upbringing.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a challenge,” Tucker said of his adjustment to the college game and lifestyle at Indiana’s media day in September. “Because I did it. In the summers and stuff, I would always be at different colleges and different games playing against older dudes. So it wasn’t really a big difference for me.”

Tucker committed to Indiana in March as the No. 21 player in the class of 2024, per the 247Sports Composite rankings, fifth highest among Big Ten recruits. 

Hoosiers have won at least a share of the Big Ten freshman of the year award the last two seasons, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Mackenzie Mgbako. Tucker said he plans on being the next. When describing the skill set that will get him there, he kept it simple.

“Versatile player,” Tucker said. “I’m here to win. That’s really all it is for me.”

Indiana freshman Bryson Tucker (8) looks to score against South Carolina at Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

A unique basketball upbringing

Bryson Tucker followed in his father’s footsteps from a young age. Byron played collegiately at NC State and George Mason from 1988-92, averaging 20.2 points per game as a senior and earning all-conference and all-defensive honors. 

With a goal to face the best competition, Tucker grew up playing in Pro-Am Leagues around the DMV, such as the Kenner League, the P.I.T.S League and others.

“My dad, he was like, ‘We’re gonna go do this,’” Bryson recalled of a conversation when he was 11 or 12 years old. “And I was like, ‘Alright.’ I was just trying to play.”

Those leagues feature current college basketball players, professionals, top high school talent and anyone good enough to compete. Tucker said he was always the youngest player, and in the beginning, he was going up against players 25-to-30 years old. 

Tucker acknowledged the first few games were intimidating. He thought the older competition would take it easy on him, but that was far from the truth. He remembers one moment in particular that served as a wake-up call.

While he was guarding Chris Lykes, who played at Miami and Arkansas from 2017-22, Tucker got shoved into the stanchion supporting the basket.

“Mind you, I’m like 11,” Tucker said. “So that’s where I really started locking in. Dudes don’t take it easy no matter who you’re playing against.” 

Tucker said he felt fine playing against older competition by the time he reached high school. The biggest adjustment for him was facing players with more speed and strength, which took time to get used to. 

It would have been easy for a young Tucker to get discouraged in these moments, but instead it fueled his career.

“It was more motivation, because I still had my dad in my corner just telling me how to keep getting better,” Tucker said. “I think it was definitely motivation.”

Bryson Tucker goes up for a dunk at the Kenner League. / photo by Ian Penny

Training with his father and playing in Pro-Am leagues built the foundation of Tucker’s game instead of playing AAU basketball, quite rare for a high-major Division I prospect. Tucker said his father wanted to teach him the game and limit the people in his ear. He thinks that approach positively impacted his game, because he could strictly focus on working hard.

It’s also part of what attracted Indiana coach Mike Woodson to Tucker. Woodson agreed Tucker has rare maturity for a freshman and compared him to Hood-Schifino in terms of demeanor.

“I think a lot of that was because he didn’t play AAU ball,” Woodson said at Big Ten Media Days. “Daddy kept him, Mama kept him away from it, and he just basically trained the old-fashioned way. And it’s been a nice carry over for him. Now, does he have a lot of things to learn? They all do. But boy, he’s shown at an early stage right now that he belongs.”

A recruiting process nearly cut short

Following his sophomore year at Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Tucker transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. In many ways, IMG is like college. It’s a boarding school for elite athletes of various sports, and it plays a national schedule. 

A year before Tucker’s arrival, IMG’s roster included current NBA players like Keyonte George, Jett Howard and Jarace Walker. It would be an opportunity for Tucker to compete at a high level and gain national exposure.

That’s when Tucker’s name was really on Woodson’s radar. The Indiana coach watched film of the young high school prospect, then flew down to IMG to see him in person. Woodson walked away from the workout thinking Tucker was highly skilled, but there was one problem.

“I was told that he might go to Duke and we probably wouldn’t have a shot at getting him,” Woodson said. “So I just kind of walked away from it.”

Despite his five-star accolades, Tucker’s recruitment was less public than other highly touted players in his class. Tucker kept a tight circle, and Woodson didn’t get to see him play much because he didn’t play AAU.

But Tucker was still viewed as a top recruit, helping USA basketball win the gold medal in the 2021 FIBA Americas Championship. He was also selected to play in the NBPA Top 100 Camp, Stephen Curry’s Camp, the 2022 Under Armour Elite 24 Camp and Jayson Tatum’s Elite Camp in 2023.

IMG Academy's Bryson Tucker (3) against Arizona Compass Prep during the HoopHall West basketball tournament at Chaparral High School. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Near the end of the 2023-24 season, just one class of 2024 recruit had committed to play at Indiana: fellow five-star wing Liam McNeeley. But on March 7, in the midst of a disappointing season for the Hoosiers, McNeeley decommitted and reopened his recruitment. 

Indiana would need to fill more than just one spot. But in a way, that opened the door to landing Tucker.

“After we lost Liam McNeeley,” Woodson said. “I got the call from his dad asking me did I still have interest in his young man and I said, ‘Absolutely. I’ll be on the plane tomorrow to talk to you about him.’ One thing led to another, and we were able to get him to Indiana.”

Woodson overhauled Indiana’s roster with six transfers and one freshman, Tucker, who was the first of the seven newcomers to commit on March 28. He said it was exciting to see the roster develop as the offseason played out, and he trusted Woodson and staff would build a competitive roster.

“The situation with Liam McNeeley, whenever he decided to go in a different direction, Bryson Tucker kind of fell in our lap,” assistant coach Brian Walsh said on the Inside Indiana Basketball radio show. “And man, we’ve been so fortunate because he’s a terrific young man with extreme talent and a very, very bright future ahead of him. … Him and Liam were very similar positions, and when one went that way, he kind of came in and Kenya Hunter did a great job with that recruitment and it happened very, very quick.”

“He’s got great feel. He’s smart. He’s athletic. And like you said, he’s kind of got a little bit of an old-school game as far as his mid-range game, but we’re working hard with him to extend that to the 3-point line. He came in really comfortable handling the ball as well, which is always a bonus, especially for a wing player.”

5⭐️ Bryson Tucker just committed to Indiana 🚨 @slam_university pic.twitter.com/80XDVzjcYb

— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) March 28, 2024

At Indiana’s media day in September, Tucker said his post-high school decision came down to Indiana and the NBA G League Ignite team. Ignite was founded in 2020 as an alternative route to the NBA than college. Full-time player development and contracts like Scoot Henderson’s two-year, $1 million deal were part of the draw. 

Ignite played against other G League teams, which consist of players who just missed out on making full-time NBA rosters. From 2021-24, Ignite sent 13 players to the NBA draft, six of which were selected in the top 11. Two more players went undrafted and signed NBA contracts. 

But the G League Ignite team shut down after the 2023-24 season, primarily due to college athletes being able to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness. Ignite no longer had the financial incentive that helped draw players away from college. 

That increased Indiana’s chances at Tucker, who said he was leaning toward the G League Ignite. Tucker was drawn to the culture at Indiana, Woodson’s NBA background and a feeling that Indiana’s coaching staff was genuine in their recruitment of him.

“When that obviously got disbarred, [Indiana] was like, boom, number one choice,” Tucker said. “Because both of them, it was kind of like 50-50 because you have a pro coaching staff here, and you obviously know what the G-League is. You go there and you’re a pro at a young age, so those were the main two.”

McDonald's All American Bryson Tucker speaks during a press conference at the JW Marriott in Houston. / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

When Tucker signed with the Hoosiers, Woodson said in a news release that he has a chance to be impactful for the Hoosiers right away.

“He has a polished offensive game with the size and strength to get to his spots on the floor,” Woodson said. “His midrange game is very impressive, and he has the athleticism to get to and score efficiently at the rim. He is a talented young man that we cannot wait to work with when he gets to campus.”

Ending prep career on a high note

Following his junior year at IMG, Tucker decided to finish high school career closer to home. He transferred to Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Va., just outside Washington, D.C., which competes in the highly regarded Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. 

Bishop O’Connell coach Joe Wooten recalls Tucker producing some of his most impressive moments at the Beach Ball Classic, which annually invites some of the nation’s top high school programs to compete in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Scoring 27 points, Tucker led Bishop O’Connell to a Beach Ball Classic championship victory over Great Crossing High School from Georgetown, Ky. Wooten said Tucker scored on 12 straight possessions in that game and was named MVP.

“It was like they knew what he was going to do,” Wooten told Hoosiers On SI. “But they just couldn’t stop it. … It was just a tremendous performance against a really good team.”

Bryson Tucker (3) and the Bishop O'Connell team pictured after winning the 2023 Beach Ball Classic. / beachballclassic.com

Though Wooten coached Tucker for just one year, he noticed several improvements over a short time frame. Wooten considers the WCAC to be a very physical league with challenging road environments and quality coaching, which can make it difficult for players to step in and make an immediate impact. 

It required an adjustment to the new style of play at first, but Tucker finished the year on the first-team all-conference, first-team All-Virginia and first-team All-Met, which encompasses the Washington area.

“I thought he did a really good job of that,” Wooten said. “And he always did it with a smile, a really class kid.”

Tucker’s Indiana teammates and coaches often describe him as versatile, and that’s part of what made him so productive for Wooten’s Bishop O’Connell team. Wooten played the 6-foot-7 Tucker at point guard and shooting guard, because of his feel for the game, ball-handling ability, and shooting stroke. 

What separated Tucker from his peers, Wooten believes, is his elite basketball IQ. Tucker changed the game for Bishop O’Connell plenty of times with his scoring, but Wooten was impressed with his ability to recognize double-teams, remain calm, and make the right basketball play. Rarely did he see Tucker force a bad shot, as he was comfortable and willing to make the right play for his teammates when opponents swarmed him.

Poor shooting nights for Tucker were few and far between, but when they popped up, Wooten noticed Tucker was still focused on what he could do to help the team win. Knowing Tucker’s IQ was on a different level, Wooten often talked to him about how he could use that to benefit not just himself, but also the team. Tucker was gifted with elite athleticism, but being coachable helped take his game to another level.

“I think really good players make themselves good, and great players make their team good,” Wooten said. “And I think he’s got potential to be a great player.”

Wooten described Tucker as humble, easy to talk to, always smiling and a good teammate. At times, he  wishes Tucker would have been more demanding of his teammates, because he knew he had strong leadership qualities. But in just one year at Bishop O’Connell, he made a lasting impression.

Tucker was one of 24 high schoolers around the country named a McDonald’s All-American. Those accolades came with fame, attention and coaches around the country calling to recruit him, but Wooten said he handled that with aplomb. 

“Never wavered, never had a big head. Very humble, very kind to everybody,” Wooten said.  “Everyone at school was amazed how nice of a kid he was. So he never let it go to his head and just kept working and kept bringing it every day. … He shows up every day, works hard, comes early, stays late. He’s a great example of – he’s a great player because he doesn’t try to go coast or kind of look for the easy way out. He’s a worker.”

Bryson Tucker pictured at Bishop O'Connell High School after being selected to the McDonald's All-American game. / photo via @mcdonaldsdmv on Instagram

Wooten pointed out a few areas of improvement for Tucker as he begins his college career. True of every freshman, he’ll have to continue to get stronger in order to battle older competition. Wooten thinks Tucker has great touch on his shot, but he needs to develop a more consistent arch.

Indiana provides Tucker with the opportunity he was looking for.

“I think a pro coach, a guy who plays a pro style that understands pro basketball. I think that’s something that’s obviously big because he obviously models his game off of that,” Wooten said.  “So I think that made a lot of sense. Then obviously he evaluated where he can have the opportunity and make the biggest impact as a freshman. I think he saw that opportunity at Indiana.”

The start of a new chapter

Any player of Tucker’s caliber is expected to at least be part of the rotation in their first year of college, and many immediately become starters or even leading scorers. But since Tucker joined the Hoosiers over the summer, he looked different than previous players of his age during the early stages of their career. 

Just ask the longest-tenured Hoosier.

“He’s very mature as a freshman,” Indiana fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway said. “The way he’s wanted to come in and learn has been very helpful for us, because we haven’t had to do as much teaching for him because he’s gotten it pretty quickly. Obviously he’s a five-star and he’s shown the ability to play and he can. … I wouldn’t say rare, but it’s not as common as it usually is for a guy like him, just the way he came in. Because a lot of guys, it’s hard for them to pick up stuff, and he’s been able to pick up a lot of things very easily and it’s impressive.”

In his first weeks practicing with the Hoosiers, Tucker said he played anywhere from point guard to power forward. He’s confident and familiar with that versatility from playing several different positions in high school. Galloway thinks the freshman can play many different roles – on or off the ball – and Woodson noted Indiana’s increased lineup flexibility, in part because of Tucker. 

“In this situation here, wherever they put me, I think I can thrive and just keep getting better,” Tucker said.

Indiana's Bryson Tucker (8) shoots against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That creates a dynamic Woodson didn’t have during his first three seasons coaching the Hoosiers. He can play big, with a starting lineup including Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo. Or he can go small, with players like Tucker, Mackenzie Mgbako and Luke Goode being capable of playing inside and out. The problem Woodson faces now – a good one – is who will earn minutes on a deep roster. 

Through three games, Tucker is seventh on the team with 17.3 minutes per game. In the last two games, he was part of the first rotation of substitutes. Following Indiana’s 90-55 win over Eastern Illinois on Nov. 10, Tucker said he’s focused on making the most of his minutes by scoring and playing defense. 

In that game, he finished with 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting, six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, showing he can do a bit of everything. Like his 19-point performance in Indiana’s exhibition game against Marian, Tucker looked confident creating his own shot and engaged defensively.

His most impactful skill as a freshman?

“I would say defense. That’s number one for sure,” Tucker said. “But on the offensive side, I think just taking what comes to me, because the offense we play is not like you do certain things. Me, personally, they’re gonna have me run off certain screens, have the ball. So it’s just like take the best shot available and try to knock it down.”

Tucker has been especially efficient in the mid-range, which has long been considered a strength of his game. He considers himself a three-level scorer, but credits his polished mid-range game to a tendency he picked up in high school. Defenders often closed out too hard on the perimeter, which allowed him to shot-fake, take a dribble or two, and pull up for a mid-range jumper. Or, they’d sag off in hopes of limiting his drive to the basket, which gave him enough space to score in the midrange. 

Tucker’s mid-range prowess perhaps affected how some viewed his 3-point shot. Scouting reports by national recruiting analysts – Eric Bossi of 247Sports and Jamie Shaw of On3 – mentioned outside shooting as an area of improvement for tucker.

“As Tucker gets away from the rim and shoots deeper jumpers, his shot does tend to flatten out a bit so while he's not a poor shooter from beyond the three-point line, there's still plenty of room for him to improve out there,” Bossi wrote.

“You would like to see Bryson's jump shot to become more consistent,” Shaw wrote. “He is really good in the mid-range, one to two dribble pull ups from the elbows.”

What does Tucker think about his 3-point shooting?

“It’s nothing wrong about it,” Tucker said in September. “I know people love to talk about it, but it’s never been anything wrong. In high school, I was known as a shooter. So when all the little allegations and all that stuff was coming out, I was like, you just gotta run with it. But it’s definitely been good, getting my feet wet, learning each day and continuing to get better. … I think now it’s really consistent. We’ve been working on it every day, just staying locked in. I think it’s really good right now, though.”

Indiana's Bryson Tucker (8) smiles during media day at Cook Hall. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Through his first three collegiate games, Tucker has missed both 3-point attempts, but he’s 8 for 17 from the field and 2 for 2 at the free throw line. It won’t count toward his season-long stats, but he also shot 9 for 12 in the Marian exhibition game, including one missed 3-pointer. 

Bringing a potential double-digit scorer off the bench is a luxury Indiana hasn’t had under Woodson, and it’s something few teams can claim. Indiana junior power forward Malik Reneau has been impressed by Tucker’s versatility, showing he can make dribble pull-ups, catch and shoot and catch lobs at the rim. Reneau thinks that makes it easier for everyone else to work around.

“It's a lot of stuff that Tuck has in his bag,” Reneau said. “That just opens up a lot for us on the court.”

Woodson said after the Marian exhibition that Tucker still has to learn the college game, but he’s excited about the freshman’s variety of skills. The Hoosiers continue their season Thursday against UNC-Greensboro, then travel to The Bahamas to face three high-major opponents in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Tucker carries a mature outlook as his freshman season ramps up, identifying goals that are bigger than himself. 

“We won the Big Ten and national title, I contributed well,” Tucker said. “Those are really the top two.”