6-Banner Sunday: IU basketball adds to 2025-26 roster with Serbian guard Aleksa Ristic

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Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall, 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.

IU added a recruit for this upcoming fall. This gives Indiana 12 confirmed players for next season.

Besides this, a former Hoosier continued their series in the NBA Finals, Inside the Hall’s offseason at a glance series concluded and several women’s basketball updates occurred. As usual, we will conclude with weekly shows and a look at other IU sports, including baseball, which has announced its conference opponents for next season.

In brief news, Indiana added another non-conference opponent for next season. This will come in the form of Milwaukee, joining Marquette, Louisville, and Kentucky already on the slate.

Here is what is in this week’s edition:

• Hoosiers add Aleksa Ristic to 2025-26 roster
• Bryant and the Pacers play game seven tonight in the NBA Finals
• Inside the Hall’s Big Ten offseason at a glance
• Women’s basketball updates
• Back Home Network shows
• Hoosier Roundup

Banner #1 – Hoosiers add Aleksa Ristic to 2025-26 roster

Some may have wondered if the previously announced roster was final for this fall. However, this turned out not to be the case as IU added another freshman for the upcoming 2025-2026 season.

With the trend towards international experience being a signature with recruiting, IU went down this road by adding Serbian guard Aleksa Ristic. Ristic has competed on the U20 Serbian national team as well as for a major club team there (KK Dynamic). He averaged 13.9 points there and is another player who is known for his shooting, highlighting a major trait new IU coach Darian DeVries has emphasized with next year’s personnel.

This was not the only news regarding recruiting. Indiana offered 2026 big man Arafan Diane and 2027 guard Nasir Anderson.

Finally, highlight videos for several Hoosier recruiting targets were put out. This week’s releases were those of Anthony Thompson, Taylen Kinney and Latrell Allmond.

Banner #2 – Bryant and the Pacers play game seven tonight in the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals continued this week for the last time with major implications locally. Former Hoosier Thomas Bryant is part of the team that competes in Indiana and is just up the road from Bloomington. While he is the backup center to Myles Turner, he plays a role off the bench for the Pacers at times and hit a late three-pointer in game 6 when the outcome was no longer in doubt.

As evidenced by this late triple, Bryant has contributed minimally since the first game of the series and has appeared only sparingly. With that said, he is playing for his second NBA championship and the Pacers look to deliver the state’s first major basketball title since IU in 1987.

Indiana as a whole is in a dog fight with the series tied at three games apiece against the favored Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers lost game five but won game six easily. Indiana is making their first finals appearance since 2000 and will play a decisive game seven tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

If Indiana can win on the road, they will raise the Larry O’Brien Trophy as champions. It would be their first title since their ABA days in the 1970s and a breakthrough for the franchise.

Banner #3 – Inside the Hall’s Big Ten offseason at a glance

Inside the Hall concluded its series looking at each Big Ten squad in detail. This week featured a breakdown of Illinois, UCLA, Michigan, Purdue and IU.

Banner #4 – Women’s basketball updates

For the first time in several weeks, women’s basketball had a few stories about current and former players. First off, their signature transfer addition in the offseason Zania Socka-Nguemen was selected to USA Basketball’s U19 national team.

When it comes to former players, the two greatest athletes in the program’s history made news in the WNBA. First, Grace Berger was signed by the Los Angeles Sparks on a hardship contract, but was subsequently waived after not scoring in her first appearance with the squad while playing 16 minutes.

Also, Mackenzie Holmes was picked back up by Seattle after being drafted there in 2024. She also did not get on the scoreboard in her first appearance with the Storm (against Berger’s squad), but played five minutes and grabbed a rebound.

Banner #5 – Back Home Network shows

The Back Home Network was on air multiple times this week. Crimson Cast and Doing The Work both had shows over the last few days.

Banner #6 – Hoosier Roundup

• Baseball announced its conference schedule for 2026. Also, some players were honored for their performances this spring.

• Softball had one of its players honored as well for their on-field play. Also, they announced the addition of a trio of recruits.

• Two incoming volleyball players were named All-Americans.

• Women’s soccer announced its upcoming fall schedule.

• Men’s Tennis announced its incoming recruiting class.

• Track and field finished competition at the NCAA Championships.

Thanks for your continued support of 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

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