BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball guard Lamar Wilkerson was inundated with messages and phone calls after his name hit the transfer portal back in March.
Wilkerson was “overwhelmed” by all the interest considering he only received one scholarship when he entered the portal in 2024.
The two-time All-Conference USA first team selection told The Herald-Times after a recent IU practice that spoke with upwards of 30 teams and heard from dozens of others during his most recent stint on the market.
It wasn’t hard to figure out why Wilkerson suddenly became a hot commodity considering he led Sam Houston in scoring as one of the top shooters in the country last season. He ranked sixth in made 3-pointers (3.4 per game) and was seventh in 3-point shooting percentage (44.5%).
The conversations Wilkerson had with Indiana’s new coach Darian DeVries made it easy for him to sort through all the various offers.
DeVries’ vision for the Hoosiers and his offensive philosophy — he wants to space the floor with shooters while getting up and down the floor — propelled the program to the top of Wilkerson’s list over the likes of Kentucky, Auburn and Ole Miss.
“It just met everything I am as a basketball player,” Wilkerson said with a smile. “We went together like cookies and milk.”
Indiana heads to Puerto Rico this week for three exhibition games with Wilkerson expected to take on a key role. The team’s summer workouts and practices made it clear that Wilkerson has a green light from DeVries to light up the scoreboard.
“He’s one of those guys that can be a game-changer in terms of his ability to really score the basketball,” DeVries said.
DeVries is also counting on Wilkerson to take on a leadership role for his new-look roster featuring 10 transfers. The fifth-year senior has played 122 career games (90 starts) in a career that started at Three Rivers College, a JUCO school in Missouri.
“I love Lamar,” DeVries said. “Lamar comes with great energy, brings a smile on his face every day. And that type of enthusiasm is contagious, and he’s one of those guys, too, he understands this is his last year. I think he’s approached every day at a very high level.”
Wilkerson, who experienced playing at Assembly Hall as a visitor last season, just wants to do whatever he can to help the win.
“Indiana basketball, there’s nothing better than that,” Wilkerson said. “It’s at the top of the top.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: ‘Game-changer’: Indiana basketball guard Lamar Wilkerson ready to make his mark
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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