I'm concerned with the leadership crisis in IU basketball right now. One of the areas we may see immediate fallout is in recruiting. The coach who left was a recruiting specialist on the East coast. It is great to see Ebanks onboard, but there are several top talents from the '09 class out East who are very much in jeopardy.I am afraid that next year will be a year of great transition at IU. I can imagine many different scenarios involving more coaching changes and/or increased sanctions. Also I see next year's team as a mostly young squad with no championship-caliber impact player(s). I do not see any interior/low post scoring for the Hoosiers after White leaves. Thomas will have to show a lot more before I am comfortable with him as the man in the middle. I have seen way too many perimeter-oriented IU teams over the years and I fear that is what we will continue to see after this year.

I am very happy with this years recruiting class even if KJ does not come. I think we have some good pieces to add to the puzzle i.e. Roth and a solid big man like Pritchard. I am trying to separate my love for IU in answering this question so here we go...K.Jones will choose IU I because of the exposure IU holds, the opportunity to play right away, and I think Kelvin Sampson has played a major role in his recruiting along with Senderoff.

I love Ebanks, and I think he's going to be great. I also think that Roth is going to be a very good deep threat for us. However after the Bud Mackey situation everything seemed to come falling down. I don't blame Sampson for Mackey, but I do blame Coach Sampson for losing Zeller and possibly Jones. I love coach, but in reality it was a pretty dumb thing to get involved in something you were already monitored for. That being said I still love my Coach, and I think he will get things rolling for the 09 class. With a great season I think he will show the studs of the 09 class that he is here to stay, and that he can coach in transition. There will be a limited amount of scholarships ( two I think), but I think Coach will focus primarily on Stephenson,Nolan Denis,Stephan Van Treese, or a center in which we figured we had no shot in at all.

did anyone happen to catch the high school elite 24 on espn or espn 2 last night? It was really a street ball oriented type scrimmage at Rucker Park but it featured eubanks, strickland, stephenson, and k.jones among others. I only had a chance to see the first three and eubanks and strickland looked impressive (high light dunks), and I didn't get to see stephenson or jones do much before the half. Any thoughts? Just thought I'd stir some thoughts...

I think it is a good class. What people need to realize is when your going for the best talent you are going to miss out on more than you get. I hope someday coach can just pick and choose who he wants. Everyone knows though IU is not in that position yet. If Kevin Jones comes aboard this year we are looking sweet. Also dont count out Pritchad he is a big body and skilled round the basket.

I don't think we can get ALL the 5 star blue chippers and as I have said before, you still need those good role players...like roth and others. Ebanks from what I have seen is a very very good player and even next year IU will be ok, Jordan Crawford is going to be good and I love what Ellis does.

BUT wait....I am going to enjoy the ride this year first.

The time he is announcing has been changed to 2. From looking on scout and peegs it sounds like it is Pitt or IU leading depending on who you ask and WV as a darkhorse.

I don't understand the pessimism of the first poster regarding next season. I expect Thomas and a maturing/improving Holman to give IU a strong inside game. At least as good as this season.

I'm mystified that DJ actually scores so little in the low post; most of his points come on 10- to 17-foot shots and an occasional dunk from a rebound or loose ball. Seldom does he get in position to receive the ball on the low blocks; when he does get the ball down low, he frequently has the ball batted away. As big and strong as he is I don't understand why, even when he's fouled, he can't power his way through the blow or at least get the ball up on the board.

Anyway, I expect Holman eventually -- possibly later this season or by next season -- to be a stronger inside presence, offensively and defensively, than DJ. Thomas, who is pretty good inside now, will get better. We'll get some inside help, too, from McGee, a versatile 6-7 athlete who'll become a very good player by next season.

The '08 recruiting class is well balanced, with a terrific wing player (Ebanks), a good true point guard (Holloway), a strong inside player (Pritchard) and an excellent long-range shooter (Roth). Too bad Zeller couldn't have made this a top-five class. Maybe Jones will still add to the strength of the class, though I have my doubts.

As for the '09 class we already have a commitment from maybe Indiana's best player in Elston, and I'm confident Sampson will recover from the stupidity of a handful of meaningless illegal phone calls to corral another outstanding recruiting class.

The present and the future are looking great.

I wonder, with the emergence of Crawford and soon to be Hoosier Holloway, if Armon will switch positions to maybe a shooting guard? Anyones thoughts?

i think armon could be a great sg, but i don't see crawford taking over the point yet. armon is still a better distributer. and quite honestly, i can see EJ having more assists than both of them this year.

I'm happy with this class and will be obviously more happy if we land KJ. I don't blame Sampson for losing Zeller like other people do because I feel like we were always behind UNC. Losing Bud Mackey hurt, but that's obviously not Sampson's fault. I saw Ebanks on the High School Elite 24 last night as somebody previously mentioned and he looked good. Stephenson was also there and he looked incredible, he was toying with people by the end of the game. If we can land him I'll be a very happy man.

I think Armon will stay at point guard which will help in the development of a Holloway.

Word is on Peegs that he will be a hoosier at 2

My source is telling me it's not IU, so apparently there are conflicting reports circulating.

Also, Roth, Holloway and Pritchard have signed and their LOI's have been received by Indiana.

It's west virginia.

yeah I was wrong on that one, ebanks might have ended up hurting us because he wants to play the three as well.

Jones to W. Va

Give me Ebanks over jones any day of the week. I don't think we try to attract any jucos, because they are not as talented as last year. Coach Sampson will just have to find a way to win 20 games without anyone else, so we could show we are a consistent winning program.