Mar 11, 2023; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Virginia Commonwealth Rams forward Jalen DeLoach (4) and Saint Louis Billikens guard Javonte Perkins (3) at Barclays Center. (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)
VCU transfer forward Jalen Deloach is set to visit the Indiana basketball program, he confirmed to HoosierIllustrated.com. Deloach is set to visit April 14-15.
On Tuesday, Jalen Deloach announced a top six of Indiana, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, San Diego State and VCU. Deloach entered the transfer portal after VCU head coach Mike Rhoades accepted the Penn State head coaching offer.
The 6-foot-9 forward has two years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 9.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game this season. He started 32 of 34 games and shot 56.2 percent from the field. He scored 10+ points in 19 games.
As a freshman, Deloach averaged 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in 13.5 minutes a game.
Indiana was one of the first schools to contact Deloach and the relationships he has with the program are why he’s headed to Bloomington first.
“Coach Woodson and coach Yasir (Rosemond), they were one of the first people to contact me and my pops. They were on me hard. It’s Indiana,” Deloach told HoosierIllustrated. “Trayce is leaving. Race is leaving. I talked to Race a bit, Al Durham (too). I’m cool with Al Durham, me and him are buddies so I talked to them about Indiana. So they put me on to Indiana. I’m cool with Indiana, that’s why it’s my first visit.”
Conversations with Race Thompson centered not just around basketball, but the atmosphere on campus and school.
“I asked about everything. The school. Coach Woodson. He kept it real with me. He said he loves coach Woodson and wouldn’t have wanted to play for anyone else. He said the school is great … the fan base is real — said the fans show out for every game.”
Deloach is originally from Savannah, Georgia and is also well aware of Yasir Rosemond — from Atlanta.
“He’s from Georgia. Everyone knows coach Yasir and we had that connection through AAU. But everyone (in Georgia) knows coach Yasir.”
Indiana’s message is clear to Deloach. Come in and be a signifiant member of the front court to replace 29.3 points, 16.0 rebounds in a combined 57.7 minutes in 61 starts this past season.
Deloach is a terrific rebounder. He ranked second in the A-10 this season in offensive rebound percentage (13.3) and was third in total rebound percent (17.0). He also led the A-10 in defensive rating (88.7).
“They are going to use me as a 4 there,” Deloach said. “I have a high motor. The motor is always going to be there and I’m always going to rebound but I feel like I got better dribbling the ball and definitely better as a leader as well.”
The recruiting process this time around will be much different. His first recruitment out of high school was during Covid, when visits were not allowed.
“When I was getting recruiting (in high school) it was during Covid so all of my visits were over Zoom. So I’m going to try to want to take my visits,” Deloach said. “What I’m looking for though is culture and a family atmosphere. Somewhere where I can have brothers and a fan base.”
The Indiana basketball program is definitely one that has already made an impact on Deloach.
“Indiana is like the Mecca of basketball. I’ve been asking around.”
Deloach says he is looking to make a decision by the end of April.
The Indiana basketball program currently has five available scholarships for the 2023-24 season. It is currently awaiting news on the medical hardship waiver for senior point guard Xavier Johnson.
Alec Lasley is the owner of Hoosier Illustrated, a comprehensive site covering news, updates and recruiting for Indiana University athletics. Alec has covered Indiana for six years and is a credentialed media member. He has previously worked for both Rivals and 247Sports.
