Indiana Basketball: 1 Thing Each Player Needs to Work on in the Offseason

One month after the Hoosiers were sent packing from the NCAA tournament by the 2012 national champion Kentucky Wildcats, coach Tom Crean and his Hoosier squad have already begun its preparations for the upcoming 2012-13 season.  

In a press conference April 24, Crean listed three areas of improvement for the team as a group: strength, winning more one-on-one battles and defense.  However, Crean mentioned that before the team can get better as a whole, players would need to become better individually.  

As Crean continues to work one-on-one with players to improve their individual games, here is a breakdown of one aspect each player will need to work on this offseason in order for the team to make a return to Atlanta for the 2013 Final Four.  

Jordan Hulls: Ball Handling

Jordan Hulls’ phenomenal shooting and leadership this past season helped lead the way in Indiana’s comeback.  Hulls finished the 2011-12 season with a .503 field goal percentage and a .493 three-point field goal percentage.  

But Hulls did show his ball handling skills and decision-making as a point guard are the weakest portions of his game.  This was most apparent during Indiana’s tournament game vs. VCU, where Hulls’ weakness as a ball handler was glaring against the Rams’ havoc defense, resulting in his five turnovers and only one assist. 

With the incoming freshman class, coach Tom Crean has a lot of freedom to move around players in his lineup and could potentially move Hulls over to shooting guard while incoming freshman and McDonald’s All-American Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell plays point.  Regardless, Hulls will need to strengthen his ball handling skills to relieve some pressure off Ferrell. 

Christian Watford: Consistency

There is only one word I could use to describe Christian Watford’s shooting game this past season:  scattered.  

There was no telling if Watford would come out on the court and have a stellar performance or an abysmal one.  Watford’s field goal percentage drastically changed from game to game this past season.  

Here are two back-to-back contests that defined Watford’s inconsistent performance throughout the season.  During the New Year’s Eve game vs. Ohio State, Watford went 3-10 and 0-2 from the three-point line, but during Indiana’s next contest on Jan. 5 vs. Michigan, Watford went 8-11 and 3-4 from the three-point line.

This year is critical for Christian Watford if he plans to enter the NBA draft after the season.  Watford needs to figure out a way to become a contributor in every contest if he wants to get drafted.  

Derek Elston: Inside Game

Elston provided needed relief for the starters last season and proved even a big man can have shooting range, finishing the season with a .552 three-point field goal percentage and .495 field goal percentage. 

While Elston has proven himself as a strong shooter, an area that needs some improvement is his inside game.  Whether or not Zeller is on the court, at 6’9" Elston needs to attack the glass and help give IU more of an inside presence.  

Maurice Creek: Just Stay Healthy

For the past three seasons, Creek has been forced to sit on the sidelines as injury after injury has plagued his college career.  

After suffering his third injury in a 22-month span, Creek was forced to redshirt last season if he wanted to salvage any future in basketball.        

Last week during a press conference, Tom Crean noted Creek has been improving and practicing his shot, but is not ready yet for physical contact.  

While its good to see Creek’s health and conditioning progress, Creek’s contributions will remain a mystery again next season.  Hopefully he will be as close to 100 percent as he possibly can be.  When Creek was in prime health he was on his way to becoming one of America’s top shooters.  In his freshman debut against Kentucky in 2009, Creek put up a memorable 31 points.  

Creek needs to just work on his health this offseason and be careful not to overwork himself.  With only two years of eligibility left, Creek needs to work slowly back into his game and not rush his recovery.  If Creek stays healthy this season and plays limited minutes, he can be in full strength for his senior year and has the potential to become close to his former self.    

Will Sheehey: Fundamentals

Sheehey came out with a bang this past season and brought much-needed energy and tenacity to the Hoosiers.   

Sheehey plays a fast-paced game.  He has a quick drive and an explosive shot.  His athleticism has played a large role in his effectiveness both on offense and defense. 

One area Sheehey could use work as a guard is his fundamentals, which are probably the weakest part of his game.  However, Sheehey’s greatest asset is that any problem is fixable because of his tremendous work ethic and devotion to improving himself as a player.  If Sheehey commits himself to fixing this piece of his game this offseason, the sky is the limit as to what Sheehey can accomplish in his final few seasons.

Victor Oladipo: Shooting

This could be Oladipo’s breakout year.  With Indiana’s rise to national prominence last season, Oladipo will undoubtedly start to get looks from NBA scouts. 

Oladipo’s forte is splitting his opponents and penetrating the lane.  In a memorable comeback vs. VCU in the NCAA tournament, Oladipo’s performance in the final possessions of the game turned Indiana’s luck around and helped the Hoosiers move on to the Sweet 16.     

But Oladipo’s weakness is his shot.  Whenever Oladipo thought about taking a three-pointer this past season, I cringed.  He finished the season 10-48 from behind the arc. 

If Oladipo wants to play at the next level, he needs to add versatility to his game and become a great shooter.  He needs to be able to add long-range shots to his repertoire of offensive weapons. 

Cody Zeller: Size

Zeller was the critical element to help the Hoosiers turn itself from ranked last in the Big Ten in 2011 to a 20-win season in 2012.  Zeller has provided a much-needed inside game Indiana has lacked over the past three seasons.  

Zeller is well on his way to becoming one of the best college players in the nation.  Zeller, who was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and 2012-13 Yahoo! preseason All-Sophomore team selection, is only missing one element to his game: size.  The Big Ten is an aggressive, physical conference.  Although he’s 6’11", Zeller needs more bulk to improve his dominance in the post.  Once Zeller bulks up this offseason, he will become arguably one of the most complete players in college basketball.  

Remy Abell: Become a Leader

Remy did a phenomenal job filling in for Verdell Jones III after Jones tore his ACL during the Big Ten tournament.  He was a pivotal role in providing relief for Hulls during the postseason.  

Abell is a quieter guy on the team who flew under the radar.  But as his minutes increased Abell was able to assert himself more as a guard and have some leadership on the court.  In the upcoming seasons I would like to see Remy expand his role by learning to take more command on the court and becoming a leader.  

Austin Etherington: Confidence

Etherington played very limited minutes for the Hoosiers this past season, so we have yet to see what his potential and contributions could be for this strong Hoosier squad. 

Etherington played some minutes during the Hoosiers opening round of the Big Ten Tournament after Verdell Jones tore his ACL vs. Penn State.  While his minutes and role were limited during the game, one thing I did notice about Etherington is he seemed to lack some confidence.  With the highly touted 2012 class arriving in Bloomington soon, spots and playing time are about to become the most competitive yet under the Tom Crean era.  Etherington will need to gain confidence and become more aggressive if he wants to see more minutes next season.