Indiana basketball 5-star target Boogie Fland ‘shines bright’ at USA Basketball Minicamp

The USA Basketball Minicamp began on Friday afternoon and one key Indiana basketball target stole the show on day one.

2024 five-star point guard Boogie Fland ‘shined bright’ on the opening day where dozens of the top players, regardless of class, participated in drills and testing.

“From the start of the day, you couldn’t help but notice Boogie Fland. His energy in every drill and game was very notable but it wasn’t just his energy and engagement throughout that stood out,” 247Sports National Analyst Travis Branham wrote. “In competitive drills and games, Fland was making an impact on both ends of the floor. He was competing on defense, crashing the glass, pushing the ball up the floor and creating and making shots from deep.”

The Archbishop Stepanic (NY) guard is coming off of a very good junior season and summer. He averaged 18.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game last season. On the Nike EYBL Circuit playing for the PSA Cardinals, Fland averaged 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assist per game during the regular season.

The 6-foot-2 guard is exceptional with the ball in his hands. He can play both on and off the ball and does a terrific job creating scoring opportunities for himself. He’s a quick-twitch and lanky athlete who does a good job getting to his spots on the floor. His midrange game is exceptional and his ability to finish at the rim has continued to increase over the last year.

The development of Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino has been significant in the messaging from the Indiana basketball staff in Fland’s recruitment.

“Jalen Hood-Schifino, that is something you can see. he’s a big guard who can play on and off (the ball), can defend the 1, can defend 2. Similar height, 6-foot-4 ish. I can see that. Indiana played Hood-Schifino and Xavier together,” PSA Cardinals head coach Joe Brown told HoosierIllustrated. “He was playing as a freshman and in the rotation. He had a significant role before the injury to Xavier. So that shows that Mike Woodson doesn’t have a problem playing freshmen. There are young guys in the rotation consistently … You can see the fact that coach Woodson definitely trusts Hood-Schifino.”

“I mean it kind of gives the overview and puts things into perspective,” Fland told Hoosier Illustrated following his visit. “As a freshman (Jalen Hood) Schifino was able to come in play a bunch of minutes and impact the winning Indiana did last season. To see that at the guard postion is big (for me).”

Fland’s recruitment is entering the final stages. He is down to a final three of Indiana, Kentucky and Alabama, but the expectation is it will come down to Indiana and Kentucky.

The Indiana basketball staff has put a full court press on the five-star guard. They have visited Fland three times in the past month, including sending all four coaches to see Fland earlier this week.

Fland took an official visit to Indiana in June and it was a trip that immediately put the Hoosiers near the top of his list.

“Mike is great. He been around the NBA half his life but not only is he a good coach and basketball player but he is also a good person,” Fland said “He genuinely loves his players and he definitely could’ve stayed and worked as a head coach in the NBA but he wanted to have an impact on young men’s lives so they know what it takes to get to that next level and so that he can be apart of the process in guiding them to be the best they can be.”

Fland is ranked No. 20 in the 247Sports class of 2024 composite rankings.

SEE ALSO: Recruiting analyst predicts Indiana basketball will land 2024 five-star prospect

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