BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball transfer Samet Yigitoglu had plenty of options when he hit the transfer portal as a 7-foot-2 big man with two years of starting experience under his belt.
The Turkish center received an overwhelming number of phone calls from coaches around the country that, in his words, became “annoying” after he became enamored with the Hoosiers early on in the process.
“Indiana is a great program and they have a history of everybody wants to go there,” Yigitoglu said after a recent practice. “Everybody wants to go. There’s a lot of people that want to play. There’s a big stage, and that’s made me come in, and that’s made me choose.”
Samet Yigitoglu filled a huge need for Indiana basketball
From having watched IU games last season, Yigitoglu knew the coaching staff coveted someone with his skill set. Last season, he averaged 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
He led the ACC in offensive rebounding (3.6 per game) — Indiana averaged 8.2 offensive rebounds per game as a team — and had seven double-doubles.
DeVries reiterated that point in the early conversations between the two and outlined a vision for the Hoosiers that involved pairing Yigitoglu up with Markus Burton, a dynamic point guard, and Aiden Sherrell, a versatile stretch forward.
“They explained the whole story of what they want to do next year and how they want to develop me and how they want to get me better for the next level, which is the NBA,” Yigitoglu said.
That trio has shown plenty of promise in recent weeks as Indiana preps for the FISU America Games in Peru. Yigitoglu marveled at Burton’s speed — “he’s so tough to guard” — and the instant chemistry he’s developed with Sherrell.
“It’s so easy to play with him,” Yigitoglu said with a smile.
Indiana basketball’s Samet Yigitoglu enjoying ‘quiet’ time in Bloomington
The transition to Bloomington has been just as smooth for Yigitoglu off the court. Two years ago, he arrived at SMU having never set foot in the United States and fresh off a stint playing in Istanbul.
“It was so different because Istanbul is so compact,” Yigitoglu said. “Like they say, everything is big in Texas. When I landed, I just saw the drills. Everything was so big.”
Yigitoglu laughed as he described a trip to Six Flags Over Texas with some of his former teammates and the amusement park’s intimidating roller coasters.
“I would never try that,” he said with a shake of his head.
Beyond his theme park visit, it took Yigitoglu months to feel at home in America.
“It was a whole new story because you have to fly 12 hours to get here, so I didn’t know what I was going to see,” Yigitoglu said. “I came here by myself, so it was different for me to adjust.”
While Yigitoglu is still hoping to find a few more healthy eating options around Bloomington, it’s easy to see how much he’s enjoying his new home. At the summer practices, IU has opened to the media, Yigitoglu maintained an upbeat attitude and a constant smile.
“Everybody’s happy, everybody’s laughing,” Yigitoglu said. “Everybody’s cheering for each other. It’s just picking me up.”
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: Indiana basketball’s Samet Yigitoglu ready to step onto the ‘big stage’
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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By Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
