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When Mike Woodson first accepted the Indiana job, it seemed like he may be faced with a complete rebuild. Nearly the entire team entered the transfer portal, and not a soul knew what the Hoosier roster would look like come November.

Then, Trayce Jackson-Davis announced he was coming back for a third season, and everything changed. Woodson implored the All-Big Ten center to return by showing him clips of his shortcomings and how to fix them.

Woodson's message sparked motivation in Jackson-Davis and brought him back to Bloomington. Suddenly, almost all the roster was set to return to Indiana and play for the new coaching staff.

A year later and the Hoosiers found themselves in a very similar situation with their star player. However, after being forced to forgo the NBA Combine due to a positive COVID test, Jackson-Davis has committed to play for Woodson once more.

Let's reflect on just how good Jackson-Davis was last season and why his return means so much.

Jackson-Davis has had top-notch production since his freshman season at Indiana, but he took it to another level as a Junior. It seemed as if he may rely more on his outside shot after talk in the offseason, but he ended up dominating in the paint so much he never needed an outside shot.

He ended the season with splits of 18.3 points and 8.1 rebounds, down from 19.1 and 9.0 in the same categories in 2020-21. However, Jackson-Davis dramatically increased his efficiency numbers and played much more consistently on defense.

The 6-foot-9 forward took advantage of better floor spacing and constantly exploited low post matchups. Jackson-Davis bumped up his field goal percentage from 51.7 percent in 2020-21 to 58.9 percent last season.

Jackson-Davis also padded out other statistics in addition to his field goal percentage. He averaged a career-high 1.9 assists and 2.3 blocks per game. He went from a liability guarding the perimeter to a major defensive threat anywhere on the court.

There were many games to remember for the Hoosier star last season. A 43-point outburst, including a never-before-recorded 10 dunks, against Marshall was a staple of the non-conference slate.

The biggest legacy-building performances came in the postseason. He scored 19 in the second half against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament to turn a blowout loss into a rousing victory. In the next game, he scored 21 points on Kofi Cockburn and Illinois, who held him to just 6 points in their matchup earlier in the year. Jackson-Davis then combined for 60 points and 19 rebounds over the next two games against Iowa and Wyoming.

At his best, Jackson-Davis was truly as dominant as any player in the country.

The return of Jackson-Davis immediately makes Indiana one of the best teams in the nation. Most preseason polls have the Hoosiers falling somewhere between seven and 20.

Most mock drafts had the Indiana product going in the late second round or undrafted. Like a few other prominent Big Ten names, Jackson-Davis has focused on boosting his stock by further dominating on the college level. He will be a frontrunner for national player of the year and should be able to secure a spot in next year's draft with continued domination.

Depending on the outcome of this season, Jackson-Davis's legacy could be cemented as an all-time Hoosier great. He could be known as the homegrown player who stuck with the Hoosiers through thick and thin and restored the program to its old successes.

The season is obviously months away, but there is plenty to be excited about with the return of Jackson-Davis.

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