Who could be Indiana’s next basketball coach? Likely (and not likely)

Jeff BorzelloFeb 7, 2025, 10:00 AM ET Close Basketball recruiting expert.

. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Well

, from a historical point of view, there are couple of programs on the exact same tier as Indiana. The Hoosiers have won 5 championship games, reached 8 Final Fours and their 1976 group stays the last undefeated group in college basketball. But they have not come close to matching that level of success in recent years.Indiana hasn’t reached a Last 4 because 2002, nor has it advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament because 2016. The Hoosiers have two NCAA tournament wins over the past 8 years, and one was a First 4 triumph in 2022.

Indiana is not the destination program it once was, even for in-state prospects like Haralson and Mullins.And then there is the matter of expectations. The fan base frantically wishes to see Indiana return to its splendor days, when Bob Knight was sitting at the end of the bench,

keeping the Hoosiers nationally relevant every single season.It didn’t take long for the tide to turn against Woodson, regardless of his status as an alum who played under Knight.But with the high expectations of this function comes deep pockets for whoever fills Woodson’s shoes– the Hoosiers had among the season’s biggest NIL budgets not just in the Big 10, however the country, which reveals no signs

of slowing down. They should have the ability to contend for the best transfers in the portal moving forward, a selling point for athletic director Scott Dolson to utilize in his recruitment.Could it actually be Brad Stevens? Boston Celtics basic manager Brad Stevens is an Indiana local. David Butler II-Imagn Images Indiana will undoubtedly attempt to hire Stevens, an Indiana local who led Butler to back-to-back championship game games in 2010 and

2011 before leaving to coach the Boston Celtics in 2013. He was the dream prospect the last time the task opened, when Indiana eventually turned to Woodson as Archie Miller’s replacement. A few months after that failed pursuit– if you can call it a pursuit– Stevens was promoted from head coach to the franchise’s president of basketball operations. The Celtics won the NBA champion last season and Stevens was named 2023-24 NBA Executive of the Year.But would Stevens really delegate return to coaching–

in college, no less? It feels like a stretch.So who are the next get in touch with the list?Baylor’s Scott Drew was pursued by both Kentucky and Louisville last year, denying both deals. Would he alter his mind about leaving the Bears a year later on? He has ties to the state of Indiana, attending Butler and coaching at Valparaiso for a years, however he has actually been at Baylor considering that 2003 and has actually never appeared excited to leave.Bruce Pearl has Auburn as the No. 1 team in the nation, sitting at 21-1 and in pursuit of the very first championship game in program history. He inspects almost every box: reasonable buyout, personality to revitalize the fan base

, experience in the Midwest, massive quantity of success. However why would he leave the Tigers now? Bruce Pearl has his Auburn Tigers at the top of the college basketball rankings despite playing in the country’s hardest conference– and without their star player, Johni Broome. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images One of Indiana’s very first calls should be to Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger, who has done a tremendous task given that arriving in Ames in 2022, leading the Cyclones to a pair of Sweet 16s– and now has them ranked in the leading 10 nationally. His buyout used to be outrageous, however he signed a new contract in December that is believed to have decreased it.Then there are 2 more obvious names– both with ties to Knight– who have been linked greatly to the prospective opening: Michigan’s Dusty May and Ole Miss’Chris Beard.May is an Indiana local who was a student supervisor for Knight’s Hoosiers between 1996 and 2000. He led Florida Atlantic to a Last Four in 2023, but left the Owls last spring to take over at Michigan after the Wolverines parted methods with Juwan Howard. Did IU already miss its opportunity with May?Beard worked under Knight at Texas Tech, later on leading the Red Raiders to the championship game as head coach. He has Ole Miss in the top 25 this season however clearly has luggage: Texas fired him in January 2023 following

an arrest on a domestic family violence charge that was later dismissed.Then there is a multitude of coaches who have eight-figure buyouts and are, in all possibility, unattainable: Alabama’s Nate Oats, Florida’s Todd Golden, Missouri’s Dennis Gates, UCLA’s Mick Cronin and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. It’s likewise unclear what Shaka Smart’s buyout is, considered that Marquette is an independent school, but he doesn’t appear interested in leaving. And Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan doesn’t seem practical, either, for any number of reasons.Who are practical candidates if the top targets state no?Buzz Williams, Texas A&M: Williams has actually had success at 3 different programs, leading Marquette to five NCAA competitions, 3 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8; Virginia Tech to 3 NCAA competitions and a Sweet 16; and now he has Texas A&M headed for its third straight tournament look

— perhaps as a top-three seed. His buyout is thought to be low, and his time at Marquette would minimize any local issues. It’s likewise most likely he would listen if Indiana called. Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams might be among the candidates to replace Mike Woodson at Indiana. Buzz Williams Grant McCasland, Texas Tech: McCasland has actually done one of the very best training tasks in the nation this season, with the Red Raiders knocking on the door of the leading 10 after winning seven straight games. Like Williams, however, McCasland is a Texas native who has spent the majority of his training career in the state. He led North Texas to one NCAA tournament, an NIT title and two conference championships, and will be 2-for-2 at Texas Tech. A deep run in March might make him a much more appealing candidate.Greg McDermott, Creighton: Among the very best offending tacticians in the sport, McDermott has won a minimum of one NCAA tournament game in each of the past 4 NCAA tournaments, going to three Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 over that stretch. Creighton likewise won a share of the Big East regular-season title in 2020 under his watch. McDermott signed a contract extension last March after his name was connected to Ohio State, but his buyout isn’t believed to be high.Any potential sleeper candidates?I do not think it’ll get this far, but I would not be shocked to see Drake’s Ben McCollum included at some point. He won four Division II championship games and has guided Drake to a 21-2 start in his first season as a Department I head coach.McNeese’s Will Wade has high-major experience and is highly likely to land a huge job this cycle, but Indiana could be an odd fit.Saint Louis’Josh Schertz had success in the state at Indiana State last season, winning 32 games and constructing one of the most visually pleasing offenses in the country, but he would require to get the Billikens to the tournament to have a chance.And hi, Dolson found magic on the football sideline at James Madison when he worked with Curt Cignetti from the Dukes– what if he pursues the guy who was the basketball coach at JMU while Cignetti was there? Mark Byington has actually done a great job in Year 1 at Vanderbilt after leading James Madison to an NCAA competition win, however his buyout is likely excessive.