Note: This article contains excerpts from Friday's most recent Rivals Roundtable with Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan. You can read the full article here.
BLOOMINGTON – Something has been brewing inside Assembly Hall over the past few weeks. At least, that's what some of the most trusted recruiting experts think.
Rivals.com's Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan got together for their latest Rivals Roundtable to discuss a number of pertinent topics surrounding the current basketball recruiting landscape. As has been a trend of late, Indiana was one of the most-discussed programs in the piece.
It's not hard to understand why. The Hoosiers have had a parade of high-level, sought-after prospects come through Bloomington so far this fall.
So far, fall weekends on campus have featured:
– Jalen Haralson, Malachi Moreno, Darius Adams
– Montverde trio of Liam McNeeley, Derik Queen, Curtis Givens III
– Trent Sisley, Aleks Alston, Azavier Robinson
Now, Jordan feels like it's only a matter of time before the Hoosiers ink their first wave of commitments in the 2024 class.
"I just get a vibe on Indiana and feel like it's run is inevitable," Jordan said in response to which program is on the verge of a hot streak. "Recruits rave about Mike Woodson and his staff, and from Liam McNeeley to Derik Queen to Darius Adams to Curtis Givens, they've had an impressive list of VIPs on campus here lately.
"I think the creative commitment tweets are being created as we speak."
Amongst those impressive VIPs Jordan alludes to is Indiana's most coveted target in the 2024 class, Liam McNeeley. The time, effort and resources the Hoosiers have poured into the Montverde five-star would mean anything short of a commitment to Indiana would be a massive blow to the Hoosiers' class outlook.
When the topic of whether or not Cassidy and Jordan were ready to name him a Hoosier arose, and Cassidy was much more confident of the Hoosiers' chances, at least right now.
MORE: McNeeley's Texas visit is off, will decide between Indiana and Kansas
"I’m ready to call this one in favor of the Hoosiers," Cassidy said, who recently placed a FutureCast for McNeeley to Indiana. "Sure, it goes against my better judgment and everything I’ve learned in my years covering this sport to count out Bill Self, but it’s extremely difficult for me to imagine a world where McNeeley chooses the Jayhawks. The relationships between the McNeeleys and Indiana are simply too longstanding and deep, and the ties are too strong.
"I think the five-star forward made up his mind on his most recent visit to Bloomington, and that’s how we ended up with a canceled visit to Texas. My FutureCast is locked in, even if Kansas' involvement gives me a little pause.”
Sources have long indicated that Indiana is the perceived leader for the Richardson, Tx., native's commitment, but Kansas' involvement has made things closer than they may seem.
"I’m not," Jordan said in response to the same question. "I know, I know, I’m being spineless! I just get the sense that he’s unsure at this point. Indiana is a strong player, there’s no doubt, but, to your point, every coach knows to have a healthy fear of Self.
"McNeeley is such a valuable commodity as a player; I feel like he’ll flourish so much at the next level. That said, I could see him having that amazing run in either system."
Indiana and Kansas are no strangers to recruiting battles as of late, both in pursuit of some of the class' top prospects in 2024 and 2025 – including McNeeley, Jalen Haralson and others.
The last time the Hoosiers and Jayhawks, or more specifically Woodson and Self squared off, Indiana landed commitment from five-star Mackenzie Mgbako – now primed to play a major role in a potential one-and-done year in the candy stripes for the Hoosiers this year.
Woodson and company will hope that McNeeley's path is similar.
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