Final Grades: Breaking Down Jordan Geronimo's 2020-21 Season at Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Jordan Geronimo was the one freshman not from the state of Indiana, but even more importantly, he was also the one without a long and successful basketball resume at the high school and AAU level.

A work in progress was an apt description, and that's exactly what we saw play out during his first season with the Hoosiers in 2020-21. The athleticism is obvious in the 6-foot-6 forward from Newark, N.J., but the pure basketball instincts are not. He's still got a long way to go.

Here's a breakdown of his season, what I liked and didn't like, his best game and future prospects and – of course – his final grade.

There's also a terrific video chat with Hilltop30 Scholarship Fund winner Haley Jordan, so check that out as well:

Jordan Geronimo by the numbers

Games played: 21 of 27
Games started: 0 of 27
Average minutes: 8.0
Points per game: 2.2
Rebounds per game: 1.8
Assists per game: 0.2
Steals per game: 0.2
Field goal percentage: 51.3 (19-for-37)
3-point percentage: 40.0 (4-for-10)
Free throw percentage: 27.8 (5-for-18)

What I liked

Sometimes it's best when you're a freshman to not know what it's like, and to not presume that there are things you can do and not do. For Jordan Geronimo, there were nice moments like that this season.

Like the time at Iowa when Indiana was eaten up with foul trouble and Geronimo got the call to guard national player or the year Luka Garza of the then No. 4-ranked Hawkeyes. Geronimo frustrated the heck out of him, pushing him off the block, slapping at the ball and forcing him into fadeway jumpers that didn't fall. Indiana made a great comeback and won its biggest game of the year.

I do love his athleticism, of course. He had some thunderous dunks when he got free and he's capable of guarding people anywhere on the court, though better knowledge of team defense is a must.

What I didn't like

It's very clear that Geronimo doesn't have a lot of basketball history at a high level. It shows in his game, because he did get lost on both sides of the floor at times. I mentioned the defensive flaws, where people blew by him often and he misplayed screen-roll situations often.

In the offensive end, he often looked like he wasn't sure what to do next in the set offense. He only had five assists all year, which is a red flag for me. He also wasn't much of a shooter, especially from the free throw line, where he was just 5-for-18 on the season, with four of those makes coming in the final week of the season. He was 1-for-12 from the line at one point.

There's still a lot to learn and it's going to be interesting to see his year-over-year growth.

Best game

We already talked a bit about Geronimo's great performance at Iowa, and the Hoosiers don't win that game without him. He only played 10 minutes, but he made those great defensive plays and made all three shots he took, scoring seven points.

He also played well in the win over Iowa in Bloomington, scoring six points and continuing his frustration on Garza when given the chance. Those were the only two times he scored six points or more all season.

Future prospects

The thing about evaluating guys with potential is that there are always two questions you have to ask. One, how good can they be? And two, how quickly can he get there? And those are hard questions to answer with Geronimo.

The most unfair thing this fan base has done to Geronimo is compare him to Victor Oladipo, who also came to Bloomington a bit raw and left as the No. 2 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. I don't think they're the same players. Oladipo played in great programs before he got to IU and was on a faster track. Geronimo might need more time, especially with a roster full of newcomers who plan on taking all of his minutes. Ask yourself this: Is he better than Parker Stewart, Tamar Bates, and/or Miller Kopp?

I don't think so, and with a current 13-man roster, minutes will have to be earned. Geronimo certainly has potential, but how he progresses from May to November will be critical. It's a shame all of that will happen behind closed doors.

Final grade: C

C: Yeah, here's his C, now let's move on. In the big picture of the Jordan Geronimo relationship with Indiana basketball, the 2020-21 season is nothing more than a blip on the radar. It doesn't mean anything. The biggest difference between these two coaching staffs is going to be player development, and what Mike Woodson and his assistants will see a lot more in Geronimo than Archie Miller ever did.

So let's pick up this conversation again in November and see where he's progressed, because there are still a lot of unknowns when in comes to Geronimo.

Previous 'Final Grades' stories

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was Indiana's leading scorer and rebounder this year, and there was no question he was the Hoosiers' best player. Here's his grade. CLICK HERE
ARMAAN FRANKLIN: Sophomore guard Armaan Franklin made great year-over-year strides and emerged as Indiana's best perimeter threat on both sides of the floor. CLICK HERE
RACE THOMPSON: Redshirt junior Race Thompson fought through injuries at the end of the season and battled in the post all year during his fine season. CLICK HERE
AL DURHAM: Senior guard Al Durham was up and down, but he conclude his career as one of 53 Hoosiers to score 1,000 points all-time. CLICK HERE
ROB PHINISEE: Junior guard Rob Phinisee really struggled with his confidence this season, and it really affected his shooting numbers. CLICK HERE
JEROME HUNTER: It was nice to see redshirt sophomore Jerome Hunter stay healthy all year, and he made some big shots along the way. CLICK HERE
TREY GALLOWAY: The first freshman to make an impact for Indiana this season Culver's Trey Galloway, who got the most playing time and made seven starts on the season. CLICK HERE
ANTHONY LEAL: Anthony Leal, who won Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2020 during his undefeated senior season at Bloomington South, didn't get much opportunity during his freshman year at Indiana, but he had a few moments that helped the Hoosiers a lot. CLICK HERE
KHRISTIAN LANDER: The five-star point guard from Evansville Reitz came to Bloomington a year early, and his first year with the Hoosiers was a true learning experience. CLICK HERE
TWITTER: Follow Tom Brew at @tombrewsports and all of our Indiana coverage at @HoosiersNowSI
FACEBOOK: Like our Facebook page to see all of our Indiana content every day. Click here to like the page at Facebook.com/SportsIllustratedIndiana