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'I'm ready to bring Hoosier basketball back': Lamar Wilkerson ready to 'start working now' with one goal in mind at Indiana

headshotby:Alec Lasley•about 20 hours•

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Lamar Wilkerson
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)(Tony Gutierrez | AP)

Indiana landed one of the most coveted players and shooters in the transfer portal on Tuesday as Sam Houston guard Lamar Wilkerson committed to the Hoosiers.

Indiana beat out Kentucky for his commitment.

What made Indiana the pick?

“It was a pleasure to be recruited by Kentucky but I didn’t want to go there and be another guy,” Wilkerson said on the Field of 68 Podcast. “Hoosier basketball is a big time name and they haven’t been where they wanted to be but I trust coach Devries and the type of coach he is. How he’s going to put us in position to win, and we can do this together and it’ll make my story better and his story better. Hoosier basketball will be back.”

Wilkerson averaged 20.5 points per game to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while shooting 45.5 percent from three. He ranked fourth nationally with 3.4 3s a game last season and in three-point percentage.

Indiana Basketball Player Scouting Report: Lamar Wilkerson

Wilkerson had 18 points and was 2-of-4 on 3s against Indiana this season at Assembly Hall.

Before his breakout season at Sam Houston, however, he spent time at the junior college level. He credits all of the hard work to his family that helped him get to where he is today — playing at the power four level.

“Small town dude, I had a chip on my shoulder. Nothing was ever handed to me out of high school, then I went JUCO, then JUCO to DI to now here,” Wilkerson said. “I’ve never had anything handed to me and early in my life, my parents, sisters, siblings showed me hard work and dedication was. And it stuck with me. You only get what you put out.”

Now, his hard work will be put to the test in Bloomington. He arrives to a new era of Indiana basketball — one with a new coach and just four teammates. While the rest of the team is still being put together, Wilkerson knew his importance to Darian DeVries first offseason as Indiana head coach.

And, DeVries made sure he saw it.

“It wasn’t the pitch, just him as a person,” Wilkerson said of DeVries. “You could tell he was very genuine what he says. He actually believes in me — he actually flew out here today (Tuesday) to come see me, that was big. That was major. I wanted to be a priority and Indiana makes me feel like a priority.”

“I’m grateful for the opportunity that I had to get recruited by the top blue bloods. Indiana just felt like home — I’m ready to bring Hoosier basketball back.”

Now with a decision out of the way, he’s ready to put Indiana back into the NCAA Tournament and back in the national spotlight.

“I’m just ready to start working now,” Wilkerson said. “(Goal is) making the tournament, getting Indiana to that tournament.”

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