Things are starting to heat up.
After a slew of new offers and visit dates set for the Indiana men’s basketball coaching regime, the Hoosiers are starting to move to closing time with one of the top players in the class of 2026, four star forward Sammy Jackson, per a report from Joe Tipton.
Jackson is ranked 94th nationally, per the 247 composite rankings, though he’s been a steady riser on some recruiting outlets, suggesting he could make a jump. The other finalists in his recruitment are Texas, VCU, and St. Joe’s.
At 6’7”, Jackson has the length, athleticism, and shooting that you would expect in a wing on a Darian DeVries roster. Despite being listed as a small forward, he spent a lot of time on the perimeter against other elite competition on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Jackson will be in Bloomington on a visit from June 13-14, before his planned announcement date of June 25th.
Aside from Trent Sisley, who had originally committed to Mike Woodson, DeVries has yet to land a high school player. Jackson, who could be his first, would be a good foundation as a multiyear guy, who could develop for a season behind somebody like Nick Dorn before taking on a bigger role.
While Jackson isn’t necessarily a guy who projects to be a day-one starter, DeVries has also been in pursuit of elite prospects like Toni Bryant, another forward in the class of 2026 the staff offered last week.
As the summer plays out and visits keep getting scheduled, look for a clearer picture of how this staff plans to build its rosters going forward.