This was an important week for Indiana basketball. After a decade of fans seemingly losing interest in a once-storied program, the Hoosiers set out to connect with their fans and create a buzz around Darian DeVries’ team.
Indiana certainly did that, but above all else, Hoosier fans got a glimpse of their new superstar — Lamar Wilkerson.
During open practice and informal media day on Tuesday, Hoosier Hoops on Kirkwood on Thursday, and the Cream and Crimson Scrimmage on Friday, Wilkerson shined. The Sam Houston State transfer showed that he’s not only the face of the team, but he might be one of the most talented players in the Big Ten.
He passed every test with flying colors, and Wilkerson alone proved that this week of Indiana basketball was a success. It was all about the fans getting familiar with the players in a completely new era of Indiana basketball.
“Everybody’s going to another level. The practices are crazy, the competitive nature, everyone’s locked in,” Wilkerson said following Tuesday’s practice.
He explained that he and the Hoosiers are all focused on the same thing — getting better each day. This comes from the energy displayed in practice, as Wilkerson was clear when he mentioned that the Hoosiers are there to hustle and give 100% effort every single play.
PLUS: Key Takeaways: Player-by-player notes, observations from Indiana Cream & Crimson scrimmage
That was apparent in Tuesday’s practice, but that was just open to the media, as no fans were present to watch Wilkerson and the Hoosiers run up and down the floor. On Thursday and Friday, though, that’s when fans finally got to watch Wilkerson for the first time as an Indiana Hoosier.
During Hoosier Hoops on Kirkwood, Wilkerson won the 3-point contest with an 11-for-15 mark in the opening round and a 9-for-15 line in the championship round. He was far and away the best 3-point shooter between both the men’s and women’s teams, and the crowd surrounding the makeshift court on Kirkwood loved it.
With 3 after 3 after 3, the cheers grew louder for Wilkerson. Hoosier Nation quickly realized that he might be the next great IU basketball star, and for a program in need of more 3-point shooting, he was exactly what Indiana was looking for.
Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson (3) shoots during the Cream and Crimson scrimmage at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.
“I want to play in packed arenas. I want to showcase my talents at the highest level,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
While it wasn’t an arena, what Wilkerson displayed on Thursday night on the streets of Bloomington was the start of what’s to come. He followed that up with another impressive performance, this time in Indiana’s Cream and Crimson Scrimmage.
He was Indiana’s leading scorer, totaling 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Wilkerson made 4 of 8 shots from beyond the arc, as he continued to display how impressive he can be from 3-point range.
MORE: Final stats and team totals from Indiana’s Cream and Crimson Scrimmage
It wasn’t necessarily a “packed arena” like Wilkerson had dreamt of, but the couple thousand fans in Assembly Hall were certainly impressed with what the 6-foot-6 guard displayed in the intrasquad scrimmage.
He played with the same energy and intensity that DeVries has built his program on at Indiana. It’s been just a few months, but you can feel the shift this new era has caused around the program and the fan base.
With an event like Hoosier Hoops on Kirkwood, fans could experience Indiana basketball in a way they never had before, while IU’s scrimmage allowed those in attendance to see how this new team looks on the court.
In both events, as well as Indiana’s practice and media availability on Tuesday, Wilkerson shined. It’s still the preseason, but ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, it was critical to give the fans a taste of what this new-look team will be under coach DeVries.
The Hoosiers did exactly that, but Wilkerson set himself apart. He won’t admit that, though, as he’s all about his team and all in on DeVries’ vision for the program.
“I feel like if we play the way DeVries wants us to play, play the way we want to play and how we should play, then success is going to come,” he said.
With exactly a month until the Hoosiers take on Alabama A&M in their first regular-season game, you can tell fans are finally excited about Indiana basketball again.
High energy, 3-point shooting and fan engagement — that’s what this past week was all about for the Hoosiers. And with the way Lamar Wilkerson performed this week, he might be the perfect embodiment of the new era of Indiana basketball.
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