6-Banner Sunday: Former Hoosier Thomas Bryant wins NBA title with Denver

6-Banner Sunday is Inside the Hall’s weekly newsletter in partnership with The Assembly Call. Almost 10,000 Indiana fans receive the newsletter each week. In addition to appearing each week on the site, you can also opt to receive 6-Banner Sunday by email. A form to subscribe via email is available at the bottom of this week’s 6-Banner Sunday.

Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall, and presented by our friends at Trueblood Real Estate, where we highlight the five most essential IU basketball stories of the past week, plus take a look at how the other IU sports programs are doing.

While the Hoosiers themselves were not playing, a few former IU stars were and one of them has newfound jewelry to show for it. While Indiana players in the relatively distant past played for an NBA title, two very recent ones will join the same top league in the world when they hear their names called in the draft this coming week.

Turning to future and current IU basketball news, the men had a big week with recruiting prospects and the women’s side had several headlines as well. We will as usual conclude with Assembly Call’s show and how the Hoosiers are doing in other sports.

• Thomas Bryant wins NBA championship
• Hood-Schifino, Jackson-Davis to be drafted this week
• Recruiting update
• Women’s basketball to take foreign trip and names new assistant
• Assembly Call Radio
• Hoosier Roundup

Banner #1 – Thomas Bryant wins NBA championship

With the Miami Heat taking on the Denver Nuggets for the NBA title, a former Hoosier was guaranteed to get a championship ring. This is because the Heat players included Victor Oladipo (who is out with an injury), and Cody Zeller (who played a small role throughout the playoffs). Meanwhile, the Nuggets boasted Thomas Bryant and Jared Jeffries, who is a scout for the team.

In the end, it was Bryant and Jeffries whose team got to be declared the top dogs in the NBA after winning four games to one in the Finals. While Bryant did not see action in any postseason contests, both he and Jeffries can be seen celebrating the title in the locker room after.

Banner #2 – Hood-Schifino, Jackson-Davis to be drafted this week

With the NBA season now over, the draft is less than one week away. For the first time since Romeo Langford was taken in 2019, a couple of Hoosiers will hear their names called in 2023.

Both Jalen Hood-Schifino (who was honored with an invite to the Green Room) and Trayce Jackson-Davis will be picked at some point next Thursday night (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). The last time more than one former IU player was drafted was in 2017 when OG Anunoby and Bryant went with the 23rd and 42nd pick, respectively. Next week will also mark the fifth time since the 21st century began that multiple Hoosiers will be taken.

CBS Sports’ mock draft from just a of couple days ago would be ideal for Indiana fans if it came to fruition. It has Hood-Schifino going 14 to the New Orleans Pelicans. However, the projection that will excite IU partisans the most, is that Jackson-Davis would say home and be picked by the Indiana Pacers. Jackson-Davis grew up in the Indianapolis suburbs, and his biological dad Dale Davis was a regular starter in the Pacer’s best era throughout the 1990s.

Meanwhile, nbadraft.net has Hood Schifino a little lower at 16 to the Utah Jazz. They also have Jackson-Davis a bit higher at 19 to the Golden State Warriors.

Banner #3 – Recruiting update

Turning from past Hoosiers to potential future ones, it was a big week for recruiting as well. First and foremost, Indiana had two big-time prospects for 2024 to campus this week on official visits in Tyler Betsey and Boogie Fland. Betsey ranks as a four-star player at No. 27 while Fland is in the top 10 and a five-star per 247Sports.

Last week also marked the first time teams could contact 2025 players directly. Inside the Hall had a highlight video for in-state target Trent Sisley who is one of the top players in the class. Also, ITH released highlights for several 2024 guys including Betsey, Liam McNeely, Austin Swartz, and Caleb Williams.

Turning to the immediate, IU still has one scholarship open for the fall, and it is unclear if they will use it. However, it will not go to Linton’s Joey Hart, who committed to Kentucky on Saturday.

Banner #4 – Women’s basketball to take a foreign trip and names new assistant

Women’s basketball had several newsworthy items this week as well. First and foremost, IU will take a foreign trip to Greece from August 1-10 for exhibition games in preparation for the 2023-2024 season.

Also, Amber Smith was named as an assistant coach this week to fill the role of Glen Box who took the head coaching job at Miami (OH). Smith comes to Bloomington from Lexington, where she served on Kentucky’s staff for several years.

Finally, both Yarden Garzon and former Hoosier Aleksa Gulbe are competing in the FIBA games for their native countries. Garzon is part of the squad for Israel and scored 13 points in her first contest against Belgium and 15 in the second one against Italy. Also, current Indiana assistant Rhet Wierzba went over to watch her play there. Meanwhile, Gulbe is competing for Latvia.

Banner #5 – Assembly Call Radio

Assembly Call was on-air this week with its Thursday Radio Show. On it, Jerod Morris and Brian Tonsoni discussed how minutes will be distributed amongst the team for 2023-2024.

Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup

• Volleyball released its upcoming fall schedule and had two players named to the collegiate national team.

• Baseball had four players announced as ABCA All-Region.

• Former soccer Hoosier Aiden Morris was named to the USMNT Gold Cup roster.

• IU’s Pfau Golf Course was honored as one of the top courses in the state.

• Men’s golf added a transfer.

• Women’s tennis received an ITA Regional Ranking.

• Hoosier legend Viola Taliaferro passed away last week.

Thanks for your continued support for The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall. We’ll be back next weekend with a new roundup.

Now go enjoy yourself a 6-banner Sunday.

Aaron (Ari) Shifron
Assembly Call Contributor

Category: 6-Banner Sunday

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