IU basketball summer in review: Aiden Sherrell
- Alex Bozich
- 15m ago
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: Aiden Sherrell
Previously: Prince-Alexander Moody, Vaughn Karvala, Trevor Manhertz, Trent Sisley
A 6-foot-11, 255-pound forward from Detroit, Michigan, Sherrell transferred to Indiana after two seasons at Alabama.
A 2024 McDonald’s All-American, Sherrell averaged 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots in 16.1 minutes per game for the Crimson Tide over 70 games.
You can read our summer feature on Sherrell from July 10 at this link.
Game-by-game statistics for Sherrell this summer
• Exhibition vs. Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf: 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field, including a 2-for-5 mark on 3-pointers. Sherrell added six rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal in 25 minutes.
• FISU America Games vs. Peru: 19 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. Sherrell shot 7-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line.
• FISU America Games vs. Virgin Islands: 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
• FISU America Games vs. Chile: 14 points and two rebounds.
• FISU America Games vs Virgin Islands: 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots.
• Final Averages at the FISU America Games: Sherrell averaged 14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.8 blocked shots. He shot 24-for-39 from the field (61.5 percent), 3-for-9 on 3-pointers (33.3 percent) and 7-for-12 from the free-throw line (58.3 percent).
Notes on Sherrell from open practices
• June 18 practice notes: “It’s easy to see why Sherrell was a priority for the IU coaching staff. Pairing him with Burton in ball screen situations will bear plenty of fruit for the Hoosiers next season. Sherrell can finish lobs and he can also pop out to the perimeter and knock down 3-pointers. Sherrell didn’t want to play the five exclusively and he won’t next season in Bloomington because he’ll be paired with Samet Yigitoglu. He can stretch the floor, block shots and has excellent agility for a big man. NBA scouts will be keeping a close eye on him next season.”
• June 25 practice notes: “The Alabama transfer continues to take 3-pointers and make them at a solid clip. The primary strength of Sherrell’s game is in the paint but it will be helpful if he can reliably make perimeter shots, particularly when he’s playing at the four. Sherrell moves so fluidly for a player with his size – he was listed at 6-foot-11 and 255 pounds last season by the Crimson Tide – and he’s a willing passer. Defensively, going up against Yigitoglu in practice will only help him improve.”
• July 7 practice notes: “Sherrell’s length continues to stand out this summer and his ability to impact shots all over the floor will be impactful for IU’s defense next winter. He moves his feet very well for a player who is 6-foot-11 and does a good job of using his length to alter shots. Sherrell is very comfortable stepping out to the perimeter and doesn’t hesitate to shoot from the midrange. His ability to space the floor will allow him to play alongside Yigitoglu in a new look frontcourt that will look much different than what the Hoosiers put on the floor last winter.”
Five summer quotes from Sherrell
On choosing Indiana:
“I was looking for a spot that was going to help me be the best player I could be, for sure, on and off the court. I was looking for a spot that was going to push me to play outside of my comfort zone and just continue to build me as a player and help me reach my goals at the end of the day.”
On what his game is for those who haven’t watched him play:
“I can do pretty much everything. I’m very versatile. I can play inside, play outside. I can guard multiple positions. I’m just a guy who goes out there and does whatever it takes to win.”
On his impressions of Darian DeVries:
“He’s super, super serious. Really basketball oriented. When he talked to me about coming here, it was all basketball. It was all focused on basketball. That’s something that I appreciated. He’s trying to make me better on the court and as a young man.”
On what DeVries told him he can bring to the program and IU’s recruiting pitch:
“It was definitely big on what I could bring to the team and his philosophy, for sure. What I could bring to the team, the way he told me, it was mutual, for sure. Just him giving me a role to have a lot more impact on the game, I appreciated that.”
On if there are things in his game that he hasn’t shown yet:
“Yeah, I feel like there’s some things. I showed flashes at Alabama sometimes. Just the confidence that my coaches and my teammates are giving me. I’m definitely going to go out there and show that.”
Sherell video Q&A
Darian DeVries on Sherrell following IU’s trip to Lima, Peru
“I think Aiden looks terrific. I think you have a big shout-out to our strength and conditioning staff for putting him in a really good spot. You got to give a lot of credit to Aiden, too. He’s really made it a priority. He’s got himself in great shape. He’s running well. I think he feels healthy. That’s a big part of it, too. And you can see it out on the floor.
“And I think he’s going to just continue to grow in his confidence and some of the things that we want him to do. We want him to have the ball. We want him to be versatile. We want him to showcase kind of all of his skill sets. And he did a great job of that this week. He didn’t get a ton of time, we kind of limited him in a lot of the second halves. But the minutes he had out there, he was incredibly productive.”
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