It isn’t that Indiana has been lacking talent on the interior in recent years, with both Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh using IU as a springboard towards early selections in the NBA Draft.
But it certainly feels like the Hoosiers could use some help in the paint with their current roster, and Tom Crean went out to find that help on the recruiting trail.
Thankfully for Crean, he landed one of the best big men in the country, Thomas Bryant.
Name: Thomas Bryant
Height: 6’10
Position: Power forward/Center
Ranking: Five-star, No. 21 overall
Strengths: First of all, Bryant has a 7’5.5” wingspan, making him one of the most freakishly long players in the country. He doesn’t waste that either, using his length to lockdown the boards on both ends, and he has also become a very timely shot blocker. Offensively, he can eat up the defense on the block and get to his spots, using his soft touch to finish through contact and convert free throw line opportunities. His game has started to evolve off of the block as well, showing the ability to step out and hit from the mid-range.
Areas to Improve: Bryant has begun to fill out his long frame, but there’s still risk of him putting on so much weight that his already limited athleticism will become a more glaring weakness. Doing work with foot speed drills will be more important for him than trying to increase vertical jump or something of that nature. Conditioning will also be something he needs to keep an eye on as he develops his body.
