Todd’s Take: Portal Is Chance for Darian DeVries’ Deeds To Make A Great Impression

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The transfer portal is kind of funny if you think of it a certain way.

This time last week, I would be surprised if Indiana fans knew who Lamar Wilkerson is.

Perhaps fans with good memories recall his 18-point effort when his former school, Sam Houston, visited Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Dec. 3, 2004, but most probably don’t. Mid-major nonconference opponents are barely paid attention to by most Indiana fans unless the Hoosiers lose, which they did not in a relatively standard 97-71 victory over the Bearkats.

Now? Wilkerson, who had a fantastic season at Sam Houston as he averaged 20.5 points and converted a Conference USA high 44.5% 3-point percentage, is making a visit to Indiana this weekend. It’s not a lead pipe cinch he will commit to Indiana. Kentucky, Auburn and Ole Miss are all hot on Wilkerson’s heels, too.

Given the importance of the transfer portal to Darian DeVries’ first season roster, and just given the way recruiting fever grips a certain set of fans, Wilkerson is a hot item among those who have been paying attention.

If Indiana gets him, his commitment will be celebrated. If Indiana doesn’t get Wilkerson, the fans who fly off the handle at every sign of a setback will predictably do their thing.

Normally, my instinct would be to try to be the voice of reason. For fans not to get too enamored with shiny new toys, which is what both high school and transfer portal additions are.

After all, fan enthusiasm doesn’t always align with what reality turns out to be. I recall guarded enthusiasm for Kel’El Ware when he transferred from Oregon in April 2023. Fans were far more excited about the five-star impact late high school commit Mackenzie Mgbako might bring to the table. In the end, who was the better player for Indiana?

I’m also scarred a bit by last year’s portal window. After the 2023 season brought Ware but underwhelming other additions in Payton Sparks and Anthony Walker, the perception was that Indiana had to be more aggressive after the 2024 season.

Indiana flexed its NIL muscle and got Oumar Ballo, Myles Rice, Luke Goode, Kanaan Carlyle and Langdon Hatton from the portal. It’s what fans wanted, and they reacted with enthusiastic support.

But enthusiasm turned into expectation of how “talented” that team was, even though the proven production of the players Indiana got was varied. The team didn’t mesh or weren’t coached up to mesh, depending on your point of view, and that perception of how “talented” Indiana was likely made the backlash to another non-NCAA Tournament season that much worse.

While I’m the type of person who is into cautionary tales in the first place, the first instinct is for fans to temper their enthusiasm as we go through it again.

Don’t overdo it. Don’t get too enamored or overrate players coming in. Look at their backgrounds with an objective eye. See the good things, but see the context in the numbers. Can Wilkerson, for example, average 20-plus points against Big Ten competition?

Also, with the way DeVries intends to approach the portal, less like shopping for the shiniest object but for a roster that will have good bones, there might be some high-profile transfers that won’t fit.

Those were my first thoughts, but that’s because I think as a journalist. You don’t, so why should I expect fans to think like I do?

It would be pretty boring if fans approached each player with tempered skepticism, wouldn’t it?

People like you, who fly an Indiana flag outside your house and spend your hard-earned money on season tickets? What’s the point if you can’t get excited about something?

So, get excited. Do your thing. React positively, react negatively. It’s what being a fan is all about.

What I find more interesting is what this means for DeVries and how fans will react to his part of this.

DeVries hasn’t put a foot wrong yet. His transition has been quiet and without any drama, good or bad.

The portal additions so far – Conor Enright, Tucker DeVries and Reed Bailey – all fit the bill of what we were expecting from a DeVries-coached team. Tucker DeVries would have been one of the most coveted portal additions of all – it was nice for Indiana to have a home-court advantage in his case.

However, there are still a lot of spots to fill. We don’t have a conception of a complete roster yet. That process could get going in earnest this weekend.

It’s the first chance for DeVries to make a good first impression as far as his deeds are concerned. That’s important for an Indiana fanbase that is notoriously demanding.

He’s committed to making all of the pieces fit. So far, he’s held to that vision.

So, while fans get justifiably excited about the players, I’ll be interested in seeing how DeVries squares his vision to the expectations. I think he can do it. I think he can thread that needle. I think fans will see it, too.

It starts this weekend. Buckle up for the ride.

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