Mike Woodson Demanding More From Sophomores: 'I Can't Wait On Them'
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mike Woodson made meaningful additions through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of internal development from returning pieces. Specifically, his sophomore class: Malik Reneau, CJ Gunn and Kaleb Banks.
Each got a taste of the college game while learning behind veterans last year, but they weren’t forced into immediate starting roles. Now it’s their time to step up. And for coach Mike Woodson, it’s out of necessity after losing four starters and two key rotational players off the bench.
“I'm expecting some big things,” Woodson said. “I can't wait on them. I need them to be ready to play this season."
Indiana’s two most established players, Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway, will comprise the starting backcourt. But behind them lies youth and inexperience. One of the top candidates to fill available minutes at the guard positions left by Jalen Hood-Schifino and Tamar Bates is Gunn.
He appeared in 20 games as a freshman, scoring a career-high 11 points against Elon, but his role decreased as the season progressed. Gunn shot 30.9 percent from the field and just 2-for-24 from 3-point range.
Reflecting on his freshman year, Gunn admits he felt rushed on the court, and it showed in his shooting numbers. Woodson agrees, but he’s also been intrigued by Gunn’s offseason development. He said Gunn, Banks and Reneau all stayed in Bloomington for the summer, which they needed to do.
Woodson labeled Gunn as a scorer in high school, and he’s starting to see those traits now that the college game has started to slow down a bit for him.
“He's had some pretty good scrimmages, but I want more,” Woodson said. “It ain't just scoring, you're going to have to defend and rebound and do all the other little tangible things to help us win basketball games.”
Indiana Hoosiers guard CJ Gunn (11) shoots a 3-pointer against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks in the second half of the Hoosier Classic on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami (Oh) Redhawks 86-56.
Lee Klafczynski/for IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Gunn committed to Indiana out of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, where he averaged 23.5 points on 37.4% 3-point shooting as a senior. It can be a stark contrast from shooting the ball every possession as the best player on a high school team to playing team basketball in college. And since joining the Hoosiers, Johnson said Gunn’s biggest area of growth has been better shot selection, which he’s learned through film study.
Despite his shooting struggles as a freshman, Gunn never appeared hesitant or scared to shoot the ball. He carries himself with a swagger that some first-year players lack, and Galloway has seen that going up against Gunn every day in practice.
“He’s got some of the most confidence I’ve ever seen,” Galloway said. “He’s always looking for his shot, and he can make shots. He’s done a great job of staying in the gym and working on his game. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people this year, just the way he can put it on the floor, get to his midrange and do a lot of things.”
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson are gone now, so Reneau will step into a starting role in the front court. Woodson is expecting big things from Reneau this year because of his versatile skill set and the way he’s changed his body this offseason.
As a freshman, Reneau made three starts and played in all 35 games, logging 14.9 minutes per game. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and shot 55.3 percent from the field. With increased minutes, Reneau will need to stay out of foul trouble after picking up at least three fouls in 19-of-35 games and fouling out twice last year.
“I hope Race ain't here to hear this, but you know, [Reneau is] a guy that he's more skilled than Race, honestly," Johnson said. "He's a guy that has followed in Race's footsteps and has seen what Race did at the four, and he's a guy that can honestly grow."
Perhaps the most interesting sophomore on the Indiana roster is Banks, who, at 6-foot-8 with long arms, provides Woodson with options. Banks played both small forward and power forward last year, and it’s probably best not to pigeonhole him into a specific position.
At Fayette County High School in Hampton, Ga., Banks frequently played on the perimeter and showed driving, 3-point shooting and ball-handling ability. He averaged over 23 points per game as a junior and senior, and was named Georgia Class 4A Player of the Year in a state that’s produced nine fellow top-100 players in the last two classes.
But as a freshman at Indiana, Banks was limited to 5.6 minutes per game in 24 appearances. In the short spurts Woodson used him, though, he played with high energy and aggressiveness, especially in home wins over Ohio State and Purdue. Figuring out just how to utilize Banks is important for Woodson, as is Banks continuing to learn the college game and his role.
From an athletic standpoint, the potential is there. Galloway said Banks has defended at a high level this summer, a surefire way for any player to earn more minutes under Woodson. And if he can provide offensive value, especially from beyond the arc, where he made 2-of-5 attempts last year, Banks will be a top option off the bench.
“Being able to come in and defend is a big thing for us because he can defend at a high level, as well as being able to spread the floor and shoot it,” Galloway said. “I think he’s done a great job this summer of kind of growing into that because he knows we need him this year. He’s a big piece to our team.”
Of the now three-player sophomore class, Reneau is likely the only one to carry a consistent starting role throughout the season. But with six of Indiana’s top rotation players gone, it's vital to the Hoosiers’ success that players like Gunn and Banks add to the team’s 3-point shooting and defensive efforts.
“They're not freshmen anymore,” Woodson said. “I need more. We need it as a ball club.”
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