Indiana men's basketball appears almost fully healthy as the team continues to prepare for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
The two exceptions at this point for the Hoosiers, are fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway and redshirt freshman guard Jakai Newton.
Both Galloway and Newton are working their way back from knee injuries that either occurred last season, or held them out last year altogether in the case of Newton.
During Indiana Basketball Media Day on Wednesday, both shared positive updates on where they're each at within their respective rehab processes, although Newton's prognosis may still be slightly cloudy.
Galloway had surgery this offseason on his left knee to repair a meniscus injury he sustained and played through down the home stretch of last season.
According to the fifth-year senior, he's healthy and ready to go for one last ride with the Hoosiers.
"It's been a long process, but it's been a good one," Galloway said. "You don't want to rush anything and come back too soon and have that impact anything. I'm just taking my time with it to make sure I'm strong and 100% back to where I was."
"It's just basically how my body feels and reacts," Galloway continued. "They said to listen to my body and listen to the trainers and doctors on what I need to do. I need to trust in them and trust my body."
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson shared that sentiment.
On Wednesday, Woodson noted the importance of allowing Galloway to ease back into the fold of things.
"He's been doing a lot of our conditioning work," Woodson said. "He's not on the floor doing five-on-five physical contact, but he's done drills and things of that nautre. We've kind of brought him along slowly based on how he's feeling."
Set to enter his fifth season sporting the cream and crimson, Galloway has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career. While he's remained healthy for each of the past two seasons, his first couple years in college were marred by small, yet consistent bumps and bruiss.
Galloway's past experiences dealing with those injuries has helped the Culver product to better understand the injury rehab process this time around.
"With knees, it's never smooth," Galloway admitted. "There's always going to be some times where obviously you want to speed up the process, but it's a long process. I've gotten better and improved at a good rate, but there's been times it's been challenging."
Galloway averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 assists per game last season, both of which were career-highs. With the absence of Xavier Johnson for a chunk of the season a year ago, Galloway was thrust into more of a playmaking role than he'd seen in years past.
Playing once again alongside a handful of younger, less experience guards, Galloway will once again be a leader on and off the floor for this year's Indiana squad.
His role may be different this season with the offseason additions of guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle, but the Hoosiers know they need their veteran leader back and healthy for when the season begins.
"We open up [practice] next week," Woodson said, 'we're hoping that he's able to bang a little bit and play at a level where he played last season."
Newton's injury status still remains unclear following Indiana Basketball Media Day on Wednesday, as both Newton and his head coach gave separate answers regarding the redshirt freshman's current status.
Newton proclaimed he's "good to go" ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season, adding that he's "100" after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him out for each of the past two years.
While Newton is back working out and practicing the team, Woodson shared a less positive view on Newton's health.
"He still hasn't fully recovered. He's had some good days, but we can't consistently keep him in practice and on the floor yet," Woodson said. "It's been frustrating for him, but we just have to keep working through it, that's all I can tell him."
"Medical people are telling him the same thing," Woodson later added, "you just have to keep working where you can consistently stay on the floor and play basketball. That's kind of been his hang up right now."
Newton has yet to play in a game for the Hoosiers throughout his career. In fact, Newton hasn't played a game anywhere for the past two years, dating back to high school.
"Not playing for so long, it's hard to just snap back into and be all the way mentally there," Newton said. "I've dealt with a couple struggles with being out for so long."
Newton added that one of his biggest supporters over the last year has been his teammate and fellow class of 2023 guard Gabe Cupps, saying that Cupps has been instrumental in keeping Newton's head up throughout the process.
Despite some concern from his head coach, Newton believes that a return to the court is eminent, and he's excited to show Hoosier fans what they've been missing.
"I'm grateful," Newton said. "It's been a long journey."
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