IU basketball summer in review: Trent Sisley

Photos from IU's exhibition win at Assembly Hall.

Welcome to IU basketball “summer in review,” where we will recap the summer that was for the program’s 2026-27 roster.

The Hoosiers, representing the United States, played an exhibition game in Assembly Hall in July and four games in the FISU America Games in Lima, Peru.

Next up: Trent Sisley

Previously: Prince-Alexander Moody, Vaughn Karvala, Trevor Manhertz

A 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Santa Claus, Indiana, Sisley is back in Bloomington for his sophomore season.

The Southern Indiana native averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game for the Hoosiers in the 2025-26 season.

You can read our summer feature on Sisley from June 29 at this link.

Game-by-game statistics for Sisley this summer

• Exhibition vs. Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf: Nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field. Sisley added four rebounds, three steals and an assist in 14 minutes.

• FISU America Games vs. Peru: 11 points and six rebounds. Sisley shot 5-for-5 from the floor.

• FISU America Games vs. Virgin Islands: Eight points and five rebounds.

• FISU America Games vs. Chile: 13 points and five rebounds.

• FISU America Games vs Virgin Islands: Seven points and five rebounds.

• Final Averages at the FISU America Games: Sisley averaged 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocked shots. He shot 17-for-22 from the field (77.3 percent) and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line (60.0 percent).

Notes on Sisley from open practices

• June 18 practice notes: “The Southern Indiana native, who fell out of the rotation late last season as a freshman, looks to have added bulk to his upper body since the end of the season. Sisley is playing with confidence, welcomes physicality, and, as Darian DeVries said in his early May media availability, will be better next season with a valuable year of experience under his belt.

• June 25 practice notes: “The lone returning player from last season, Sisley appears to have put on 15 pounds since last season. That should be very helpful on the defensive end, where he was often overpowered at times last season as a freshman. Sisley should be firmly in the rotation next season.”

• July 7 practice notes: “Sisley continues to work on his defense and the progress he makes on that end will likely determine how substantial his role will be next season. He’s clearly added upper-body strength since the end of last season and is playing with more confidence than he did as a freshman. Both Vaughn Karvala and Trevor Manhertz have said in interviews that he’s someone they look to for advice, which is a positive sign as he develops his voice in the locker room.”

Five summer quotes from Sisley

On whether he’s being vocal this season as the only returning player:

“I think I have to, because I was the only one here, so I kind of know offensively, defensively, what we’re trying to do on a lot of stuff. So just if people have questions, they’ll come to me, and then I’ll try to go help people out if I see some stuff on the court that’s going on. And I was the only one, so I’m trying to talk as much as I can.”

On the biggest thing he learned from last season:

“Yeah, I think, obviously, up and down as the freshman season, I think that’s what happens to a lot of people. So I didn’t change my attitude or anything, just stayed ready. And then, obviously, my role went down a little bit towards the end of the season, but I didn’t let it bother me. Obviously, you want to play.

“But just coming back in the offseason, having the same work ethic, and then just being ready to go this summer, and then, obviously, going into the season.”

On the biggest thing he’s worked on since the end of last season:

“I think just my body. I’m in the weight room and on the court, my shot and then my quickness a little bit for defense.”

On whether the strength was part of the reason for his up-and-down minutes last season:

“Yeah, probably, I would say, defensively. Obviously, I was lacking a little bit last year, and then just strength-wise, stuff like that, maybe inexperience. So just trying to, obviously, have a little bit more experience to go into this year, so I think that would be huge for me.”

On differences between this offseason and last as a returning player:

“I think you’re just more comfortable doing stuff, especially me, because I’ve been here for a year now. I’m just more comfortable doing what coach wants. I know what coach wants, stuff like that. So I’m just able to do what he wants and then I think it helps me as a player because I’m not as indecisive and stuff like that.”

Sisley video Q&A

See More: Commentary, Trent Sisley