‘I 100 percent believe I’m going to be back to my normal self’: IU basketball guard Trey Galloway optimistic about recovery process

Trey Galloway has dealt with injuries for the majority of his IU basketball career so last year was nothing new for the Indiana senior guard.

Galloway suffered a knee injury on Senior Day against Michigan State that caused him to miss the last few games of the season.

He underwent knee surgery in the spring which has caused him to miss the majority of summer workouts.

On Monday, Galloway joined Miller Kopp on the Hoosiers Connect Podcast ‘The Player’s Perspective’ to discuss his rehab process and offseason.

“I’m lucky it’s now and I’m not missing games but it still sucks to miss time whenever it is,” Galloway said. “I think just in general knowing that I have a chance to be fully back to myself, that’s very positive and that makes me happy. And I think just knowing that I’m going to be able to keep pushing through it and see myself in a couple of months and look back and say ‘wow, that wasn’t that bad’.”

Galloway stepped into a larger role last year in his fourth year with Indiana. He’s gone from a role player and energetic sixth man to what was the starting point guard and main playmaker last season. While it was a new position for Galloway during his time in Bloomington, he excelled.

He averaged 10.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He became one of four IU basketball players with three games of 11+ assists in a career, joining Isiah Thomas, Jamal Meeks and Michael Lewis, doing so all in the last six games he played.

He ranked ninth in the Big Ten in assists per game and assist rate. He also ranked ninth in assist to turnover ratio while also playing at least 30 minutes a game.

“It’s a long journey. There’s days when it’s tough,” Galloway continued. “It’s feeling really good (now). I 100 percent believe I’m going to be back to my normal self if I just keep doing the right things. I’m just excited to get back to my normal self because it makes you realize how blessed we really are to be able to be healthy and to be doing the things we get to do. It’s not easy. There’s a lot of injuries in basketball that happen. So you just gotta be aware of that and know that you can’t take it for granted.”

Taking it for granted is not something Galloway has done, however. He’s dealt with wrist, groin and now knee injuries throughout his Indiana career.

“I’ve dealt with it a lot,” Galloway added. “I’ve already missed a summer before with my groin. I’ve had, definitely, some tough blows. My wrist and stuff, too. And now this, obviously. It’s really challenging just because you want to be out there with your teammates.”

Galloway has been one of the biggest glue guys for any team in the Big Ten — and that won’t change next year. But, he also won’t be asked to do as much, either. Indiana added guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle this offseason to go along with wing Luke Goode. All three provide different skills that should allow for Galloway to go back to his best role — an energy player who doesn’t have to be the sole playmaker for the Hoosiers.

IU basketball looks to improve on a 19-14 (10-10) season when it failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Mike Woodson’s Indiana career.

SEE ALSO: In a year that will ‘define the Woodson era’ at Indiana basketball, it’s also a potential stepping stone for the program

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