Indiana's 3 Basketball Recruits All Sign Letters of Intent
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana's highly regarded 2022 basketball recruiting class became official on Wednesday when Jalen Hood-Schifino, Kaleb Banks and C.J. Gunn signed their National Letters of Intent on the first day of the signing period.
Mike Woodson's first full recruiting class is headlined by Hood-Schifino, a 6-foot-5 combo guard who plays at Montverde Academy in Florida. He's a five-star recruit who is ranked No. 19 in the country in the 247Sports composite rankings.
Banks, a 6-foot-8 forward from Fayetteville, Ga., is ranked No. 80 and is a four-star recruit. Gunn, a 6-foot-5 guard from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, was the first commit in the class, and stayed true to his commitment after Woodson was hired in late March.
“I’m very excited to have these young men join our program and to have the opportunity to attend what I feel is the greatest university in the country,'' Woodson said. "As a group, we are bringing in versatile players who have a great work ethic and tremendous attitudes and we believe they will continue to get better and improve themselves not only as players but as people as well.
"They have been well-coached and want to be challenged. They’ll fit right in with who we have in the program and are excited to be a part of something special here at Indiana. I think our coaching staff has done an outstanding job of identifying players who can thrive in our environment athletically, socially, and academically and we welcome them and their families to Hoosier Nation.”
Here's a look at all three commits:
Kaleb Banks, Fayetteville, GA
- Height: 6-8
- Weight: 215
- High School: Fayette County
- Notes: Banks was an integral part of the Georgia Class 4A State runner-up team under coach Andre Flynn. He averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a junior, and hit 40 three-pointers and shot 63% from the field overall. He named the Region 5-AAAA player of the year and was a First Team All-State selection in Class 4A. He played AAU in the offseason for coach Greg Robinson of the Atlanta Celtics. He is the son of Kendra Banks.
- What Woodson said: "Kaleb is someone who continues to improve his game and has a tremendous future in basketball. He is a very versatile player both offensively and defensively. His ability to score the basketball and create for him and his teammates is something that was very attractive to our staff. He is a tough-minded player who plays with great confidence and will be an impactful part of our program. I love the way he carries himself and shows his love for what he does.”
C.J. Gunn, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Height: 6-5
- Weight: 175
- High School: Lawrence North
- Notes: Gunn helped lead Lawrence North to an Indiana Class 4A state runner-up appearance in 2021 under legendary coach Jack Keefer. He averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game as a junior, and shot 38% from three-point range. He was a basketball teammate of current Indiana quarterback Donaven McCulley. He had 33 points and made a school-record nine three-pointers in a game against Ft. Wayne Snider. He was named an Indiana Junior All-Star and to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Underclass All-State Supreme 15. He played AAU for Spiece Indy Heat under coach Ryan Owens prior to his senior season. He is the son of Christopher and Linda Gunn.
- What Woodson said: “C.J. is a local kid who has tremendous love for Indiana University. He’s loyal and dedicated and will bring size and athleticism to the wing position. He comes from a very respected and winning high school program in Indiana and will be able to help us with his ability to play multiple positions. I think he, like the others, will have a real opportunity to grow and improve in our system. We can’t wait to have the opportunity to work with him when he gets to campus.”
Jalen Hood Schifino, Charlotte, N.C.
- Height: 6-5
- Weight: 210
- High School: Montverde Academy (Fla.)
- Notes: Jalen Hood-Schifino is a five-star recruit who plays for prestigious Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla. for coach Kevin Boyle. The team won the 2021 Geico High School national title. Five of his teammates also are signing Division I letters of intent. He played for coach Norton Hurd IV and Team Thad, an AAU program founded by NBA player Thaddeus Young, in the offseason. He is the son of Adrianne “Angel” Hood-Schifino.
- What Woodson said: ““Jalen has a presence about himself that makes you take notice. As a staff we loved watching him play. He displays great maturity and is a team-first guy who makes others around him better. A pure winner. He has great size for his position and is a powerful guard that plays with force. Jalen will be able to help our ball club in a variety of ways. He’s a guard that can score on all 3 levels, rebound the basketball, and has tremendous defensive awareness. Like the others, we are anxious for Jalen to get to campus.”