When Indiana basketball hired Darian DeVries from West Virginia, it excited no one more than DeVries himself. Having the opportunity to coach one of the elite programs in the country is a major selling point.
Not to mention, the history of Indiana basketball with Bob Knight is excellent alone. He propelled the Hoosiers as one of the best programs in the sport.
During his introductory press conference, DeVries laid the foundation but shared his eagerness to get started.
“This is one of the premier schools, basketball schools, in the entire country,” DeVries said via Audrey Marr on X (formerly Twitter). “I believe we can do some special things here, so I’m really excited to see what that can look like.”
After the Hoosiers had underperformed into mediocrity the past few seasons, it was time for a change. Former head coach Mike Woodson announced this would be his last season with Indiana basketball.
However, hiring DeVries is a bit of a head-scratching move for some. His Mountaineers team didn’t make the tournament. While he claimed they were snubbed, the 19-13 record and 10-10 in conference play wasn’t helpful.
Although he was successful at Drake University, this is a major change. Going from a mid-major, to a lower-tier Big 12 school to one of the most established programs in the country in Indiana.
Darian DeVries is ready for life with Indiana basketball
There were some options that the Hoosiers could’ve pursued outside of DeVries. One of the more prominent names was Will Wade. He helped LSU win the 2019 SEC Conference championship.
However, after an investigation by the FBI led to his departure. Since then, he’s been coaching at McNeese State, where he led them to a 12-seed last season.
While they were bounced by Gonzaga, they won the Southland conference championship. Fast forward to the 2024-25 season, and more of the same happened.
Still, Indiana basketball must see something intriguing about DeVries. He understands the magnitude of the job and how much of a cultural influence the school has on the country.
In a fickle Big Ten conference, the Hoosiers could quickly rise to the top. There will be some important work to do with how the former West Virginia wants to run the show.
After all, DeVries issued a statement following the hire that echoed more of the same.
If there is a level of competency and competitiveness, plenty of recruits could have Indiana basketball on their radar. For now, DeVries will lay the groundwork for life inside Bloomington, Indiana for the next few seasons.
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