2025-26 IU basketball player profile: Sam Alexis

With the start of college basketball season approaching, we’ve transitioned from our look at other Big Ten programs to our player-by-player previews of the 2025-26 IU basketball roster.

Today, our player profiles continue with senior Sam Alexis.

Previously: Andrej Acimovic, Trent Sisley, Aleksa Ristic, Josh Harris, Jasai Miles, Nick Dorn, Jason Drake, Lamar Wilkerson, Conor Enright, Tayton Conerway, Reed Bailey

A member of Florida’s national championship team last spring, Sam Alexis is IU basketball’s best shot blocker and rebounder entering the 2025-26 season.

The Apopka, Florida, native began his career at Chattanooga, where he spent two seasons before moving up to the high-major level last season in Gainesville.

A Southern Conference All-Freshman team selection in the 2022-23 season, the 6-foot-9 Alexis played in 32 games off the bench for the Mocs in his first season. In just 12 minutes per game, Alexis averaged five points and 3.8 rebounds on an 18-17 Chattanooga team.

Alexis showed steady improvement as a sophomore as he moved into the starting lineup and averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocked shots and 1.8 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. He had nine double-doubles in the 2023-24 season and scored in double figures 19 times.

An efficient finisher in the paint, Alexis shot 55 percent and was one of five Division I players to average at least 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots per game. After a 21-12 campaign in his second season at Chattanooga, Alexis opted to enter the transfer portal and chose Florida, just 110 miles from his hometown of Apopka.

He began the season as a key part of the Florida rotation and scored in double figures in three of the season’s first four games. In late December, Alexis posted a double-double – 14 points and 12 rebounds – in a win against North Florida.

“It’s a big jump,” Alexis said. “When I went from Chattanooga to Florida, the physicality was different.”

He continued to be a part of the Florida rotation for the first half of SEC play, but an ankle injury forced him to miss the back half of the league schedule. By the time Alexis was ready to return to the floor, the strong play of Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh left little opportunity for minutes for the junior big man.

Alexis played just one minute in Florida’s run to the NCAA championship game and entered the transfer portal on April 18. A week later, Alexis announced his commitment to Indiana, which had a clear need for rebounding and rim protection on its freshly assembled roster.

Through three exhibition games in Puerto Rico and Friday’s exhibition opener against Marian, Alexis has been one of IU’s most consistent performers.

He played 21.4 minutes per game on the Puerto Rico trip and averaged 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Against Marian on Friday at Assembly Hall, Alexis posted a double-double – 13 points and 10 rebounds – and blocked three shots in 18 minutes.

Although Reed Bailey is expected to be IU’s starter at the five, Alexis will be an integral part of the Hoosier rotation. He is IU’s best post defender and rebounder and will be called on heavily when playing against Big Ten frontcourts that emphasize throwing the ball into the post.

Bottom line: Alexis is a veteran who brings championship experience to IU’s roster. The Hoosiers will need him to be excellent on the boards and he might be the only player who routinely crashes the offensive glass. He’s also a solid passer for a big man and a capable shot blocker. In his sophomore season at Chattanooga, Alexis had the 37th-best block percentage in the country.

Quotable: “I’m just going to play hard, rebound, block shots, play defense and do what I have to do to help the team win. Off the court, I try to be a great teammate, great locker room guy and pick my teammates up when they’re down.” – Alexis on his role for the Hoosiers this season.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

See More: Commentary, 2025-26 season preview, Sam Alexis