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Jordan Hulls is no stranger to Indiana University basketball fans. For those rooting for the Hoosiers at the onset of the past decade, “Jordy” was a household name.

Fans of all ages looked up to Hulls during his tenure as an Indiana University collegiate basketball player, and they did so for many reasons. As many may remember, Jordan wasn’t a physical phenomenon such as Victor Oladipo, Jordan Geronimo, or seven-foot Cody Zeller. Rather, standing at five feet eleven inches, he quite literally looked like the typical college kid.

However, all cliches aside, one of many things that was not typical about Jordan was his heart. Many of us can recall him going against the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Nik Stauskas, Aaron Craft, and not only did he hold his own, but he shined during those years. To many, Jordan was a hero because he showed us that there really are no excuses.

He was also our hero because he was a selfless leader of those beloved 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 Indiana basketball teams that have left fans with the best memories in the last decade. Coaches and fans alike knew that he was the type of player that would put his team before himself. In fact, he even put the whole state of Indiana above himself as he held a legitimate Duke offer during a time when the Hoosier basketball program was in turmoil. While he was being recruited, Indiana University was still under NCAA sanctions, yet, Jordan still chose IU because he wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself. He wanted to help restore Indiana basketball, despite how tempting an offer from an illustriously successful school such as Duke must’ve been to a young man.

According to ncaasports.org, the average height of the male college basketball player is just under six feet five inches. With Hulls sanding at the average male height and weight in general, he’s an example that you really can do whatever you set your mind to. That is, if you put in the work, and don’t be mistaken – Jordan put in the work. He still does to this day.

After finishing the 2012-2013 Indiana men’s basketball season, Jordan had cemented a legacy for himself as a Hoosier fan favorite for all years to come. Next, as many college students experience, comes finding one’s place in the world. Because Hulls made such a splash (pun intended) in the collegiate sports realm and had gained national attention, he hired an agent and was invited to work out with three NBA teams. These teams were the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Detroit Pistons. He said that he learned a lot from those workouts.

Though he wasn’t drafted into the NBA, Hulls received an offer to play professionally in Poland his rookie year. As he had done since high school, Jordan worked his way up through the ranks. He spent his first two years of professional basketball there. Unlike the typical graduate, Hulls didn’t go on to work in Chicago or Indianapolis, rather, he found himself in a small city in Poland.

Concerning his time in Poland, Hulls stated,

“It was my first year living away from Bloomington and I was in a smaller city with very few English speakers. My fiancé, (now wife), was able to stay with me for a little bit there, but she had to return to the U.S. to finish nursing school, which was challenging for both of us. But I had great teammates, and there was always something to learn. Then, at the end of the season, I got injured. I was poked in the eye and actually had to get stitches in my eyeball!”

Nonetheless, he kept trekking forward as we’ve seen him do before.Nowadays, Hulls finds himself playing on a professional German team that finished first in their league last year. This season, his team, MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, was invited to play in the “Basketball Champions League” which competes internationally. They’re currently ranked in the top 16. Hulls mentioned that this is a younger group, and at 31, he’s now a veteran on this team.

He offers advice to the younger players and helps them in their transition to professional basketball.

“I put the team before myself and do whatever I can to help the younger guys get better," Hulls said. "Even if that means other people begin playing over me, I just want to do what it takes to help my team win.”

Does this sound familiar? It should to Hoosier fans.

At the age of 31, Jordan Hulls has a lot more going on in his life other than basketball. He is a husband and a father of three. Though he would like to learn to speak German, he said he isn’t as far along as he’d like to be. However, his two sons that attend school in Germany are picking up on it quite well. He and his wife provide a wonderful life for their children, and they return home every summer. When asked if he ever gets to “run it” with current IU players, Hulls said that he tries to when he’s back home, but that can be tricky these days because of COVID-19. Hulls stated that since graduating, he’s only been able to return for one Indiana Hoosier men’s basketball game. Despite that, he said that he’s built a relationship with Anthony Leal.

Ironically, Leal is the first Bloomington born player to start for the Hoosiers since Hulls in 2013. Hulls said that he offers Leal advice sometimes, but not just that – they’re also friends.

“Anthony has a good attitude," Hulls said. "He’s humble, keeps his head up, and stays working. He’s going to do great things for Indiana basketball.”

If Leal is anything like the last Bloomington native to start for the Hoosiers, he certainly will. Even overseas, Hulls is still the leader that Hoosier fans have grown to love and cherish, always.

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