ESPN REPORT: Indiana Has Been In Contract With
Peegs.com sources say Indiana has been in contact with Kentucky transfer portal prospect Aaron Bradshaw. Bradshaw is a 7-foot-1 center who is coming out of his freshman season.
Peegs.com sources say Indiana has been in contact with Kentucky transfer portal prospect Aaron Bradshaw.
Bradshaw is a 7-foot-1 center who is coming out of his freshman season.
Bradshaw, from Camden (NJ), averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds as a freshman at Kentucky.
Bradshaw was a five-star prospect coming out of high school in Camden (NJ).
Scouting report from Adam Finkelstein from 247Sports:
“Aaron Bradshaw was viewed as the top center prospect in the national class of 2023. He was 7-feet plus, mobile, and athletic with good hands, a soft touch that extended out to the three-point line, and shot-blocking ability.
“Production didn’t always live up to his potential though, with his motor and physicality both being clear works-in-progress during his high school years.
“It was more of the same this year at Kentucky, especially after his transition to the college game was impeded by an injury that cost him the first few weeks of the season. While he made an immediate impact upon returning in early December, he saw his role diminish as the season went on. He finished the season averaging just 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per night.
“While there is unfortunately now a pattern of underachieving, what is debatable is how much of that is contextual, after playing on teams built around DJ Wagner throughout high school. What remains undeniable is that Bradshaw’s ceiling remains high if he ever fully commits himself to maximizing his potential. There just aren’t many seven-footers who can space the floor vertically and with their shooting while simultaneously being able to protect the rim and move their feet laterally.”
Indiana basketball transfer portal prospect Pharrel Payne from Minnesota has scheduled an Indiana visit
Transfer portal prospect Pharrel Payne from Minnesota has scheduled an Indiana visit for April 12-14.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Payne is a 6-foot-9 forward from Park High School in Cottage Grove who has played two years at Minnesota.
As a sophomore in the 2023-24 season, Payne averaged 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
INDIANA BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER
His block rate overall was 5.8, including 5.6 in Big Ten games as a sophomore.
For a comparison, Trayce Jackson-Davis’ block rate as a sophomore was 4.7 overall and 3.7 in conference games.
IU coach Mike Woodson likes a rim protector in his defense. Woodson had that with Jackson-Davis for two years and with Kel’el Ware in 2023-24.
Jackson-Davis is now in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and Ware is projected to be a first-round NBA Draft pick.
Block rate is something IU observes as it relates to rim protectors.
Another factor that makes Payne attractive to Indiana is his 2.4 offensive rebounds per game.
Payne’s sophomore per-game numbers: 10.0 points, 2.4 offensive rebounds, 3.7 defensive rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.2 assists, 0.3 steals, 1.6 turnovers, 2.2 fouls, 23.3 minutes.
Background from his bio on Payne (courtesy of the University of Minnesota media guide):
Mr. Basketball Top 10 finalist, which is given to the top boy’s basketball player in the state of Minnesota • first team all-state his senior year • Second Team All-Metro • after missing the first eight games of his senior season due to injury, averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game his senior season • helped the Wolfpack to a 20-9 overall record • had 10 games with at least 20 points his senior year and three-30 point games • averaged 15 points per game and 10 rebounds as a junior • had a breakout AAU season this past summer with Minnesota Select under the direction of former Gopher Mitch Ohnstad • scored double-digits in 16 of 20 games as he helped the team to an 11-10 record • listed as the 83rd recruit nationally.
