3/20/2017 basketball Edit

IU Signee Al Durham Asks For NLI Release

Stu Jackson • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

Stu Jackson covers Indiana University basketball, football and recruiting for TheHoosier.com. He also hosts Heard on The Hoosier, the site's official podcast.

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Another one of Indiana's signees from the Class of 2017 is prepared to explore other options.

Lilburn (Ga.) Berkmar senior Al Durham has asked for Indiana for a release from his national letter of intent.

"I want to thank the Hoosier program and everyone who has supported me throughout this process, and I have built a lot of love for Indiana and that's a major part of why I was coming to Indiana was because of Coach (Tom) Crean and the rest of the coaching staff," Durham said in a statement posted then taken down on Twitter. "But I have decided to ask for my release after a long thought process with my family. I will continue to keep all my options open, including Indiana, and with that, I want to thank the coaching staff and Indiana community for everything they have done for me. But in all of that, I am opening my recruitment back up."

Durham was the Hoosiers' first commitment in the Class of 2017, verbally pledging to IU after visiting for Hoosier Hysteria in 2015. That visit was his second unofficial one he had taken to the school prior to his verbal commitment.

With former head coach Tom Crean now gone, though, and no long-standing attachment to the school itself, it makes sense for Durham to consider any potential options. That certainly could still include Indiana - depending on who the eventual hire is.

The Hoosiers do not have to give Moore a release if they choose not to. When a head coach departs the program, usually a new head coach is hired and they then talk with the signees before any additional steps like granting a release are taken.

If IU grants Durham a complete release from his NLI, the NCAA would waive the penalty of sitting out one year of competition. If IU does not grant the release, he can still transfer schools but he would have to sit out a year and would lose a season of eligibility.

While a signee is bound to a NLI, other schools are not allowed to recruit them. So asking for a release can be an effort to reopen a recruitment.

IU has 30 days to respond to the request. It can grant Durham a release, not grant him a release, or simply remove the recruiting ban to allow him to be recruited.

Durham committed to the Hoosiers over offers from Miami, South Florida and Virginia Tech.

With Durham asking for a release, Lincolnshire (Ill.) Stevenson High four-star forward Justin Smith remains as Indiana's lone signee in the Class of 2017.