Indiana Basketball has officially moved deep into the offseason which means recruiting is going to ramp up with AAU right around the corner. Mike Woodson and staff have their eyes set on some of the top 2024 prospects including Liam McNeeley, Flory Bidunga, and have positioned themselves to make a huge splash with this recruiting class.
The spring AAU season officially kicks off in a few weeks with circuits such as EYBL, 3SSB, UAA, and many others having their first events. The first two live evaluation periods start at the end of the month beginning April 21-23 and ending April 28-30 so the entire Indiana Basketball staff will be on the road watching their targets in action.
With that said, here is a look at some of the top 2024 targets to watch for this AAU season
Liam McNeeley: (6-8; Small Forward)
Team: Florida Rebels 17U
Circuit: EYBL
High School: Montverde Academy (FL)
Scouting Notes: McNeeley enters into this AAU season as arguably the top Indiana Basketball target in the 2024 class. After spending last year playing for Drive Nation, then transferring to the prestigious Montverde Academy in Florida for his high school season, he will now play for the Florida Rebels 17U squad. What makes McNeeley so special of a player is that he is a true hybrid forward that has the ability to play both on and off the ball consistently. His motor and aggressiveness on both ends is at a high level and when he has the opportunity to attack the basket, he does it without hesitation being one of the better players in the 2024 class at getting to the line. The 6-foot-8 wing is great playmaker that creates so much offense around him, as well. He will be one of the top prospects all AAU season.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Texas, Texas Tech, Georgia, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas,
and others
Flory Bidunga: (6-9; Center)
Team: Indiana Elite 2024
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Kokomo High School (IN)
Scouting Notes: The 6-foot-9, five-star center out of Kokomo, Indiana has been one of the highest-rated, sought after players since last summer where his stock saw an ultra-boost. When it comes to playing around the basket on both ends, there are very few players at the high school level that are as quick off their feet and that can provide the type of production that Bidunga can. He scores, rebounds, and protects the rim at such a high level and his motor for his size is extremely special. As Indiana looks to future in replacing the post production that former Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis provided, Bidunga is player that is a candidate to fill that void for Indiana Basketball in the next couple of years.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Auburn, Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, Florida,
Purdue, Butler, Cincinnati, and others
Travis Perry: (6-2; Point Guard)
Team: Indiana Elite 2023
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Lyon County (KY)
Scouting Notes: Perry is a guard that has been on Indiana’s radar for quite some time now and was finally offered by the Hoosiers back in early January. When it comes to elite scoring ability at all three areas on the floor, the 6-foot-2 point guard out of Eddyville, Kentucky is one of the best at it at the high school level. His feel for the game when he has the ball in his hands is very impressive and the way he is able to create his own shot and for others is a major advantage in the way he plays. Perry seems to be at his best when he can create in the lane and either convert at the rim or find space to get a mid-range shot off due to his quick, shifty style. The high IQ guard should be in for a breakout year playing in the 3SSB Circuit for Indiana Elite.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Purdue, Ole Miss, Michigan, Kentucky, and others
Jaeden Mustaf: (6-4; Shooting Guard)
Team: Boo Williams 17U
Circuit: EYBL
High School: Carmel Christian (NC)
Scouting Notes: Mustaf is one of the more athletic shooting guards in the 2024 class and has proved to be so crafty with the ball in his hands. He is arguably at his best right now when he can score around the rim but has shown promise in his ability to create his own jumper both on and off the ball. Due to his size, defensively he can guard almost any position at this time He recently cut his list to five schools with Indiana being one of them so he will be one of the priorities heading into this spring for Mike Woodson and the Indiana Basketball staff. He is the type of wing that Woodson is looking for.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Miami, Florida State, North Carolina State, and Virginia
Tech
Caleb Williams: (6-7; Small Forward)
Team: Team Takeover 17U
Circuit: EYBL
High School: Sidwell Friends (DC)
Scouting Notes: At 6-foot-7 weighing around 215 pounds, Williams is a big wing that has terrific shot-making and shot-creating ability both on and off the ball. His ability to knock down shots is what seemed to have drawn Mike Woodson to recruit him as the Indiana head coach looks to add more players that can score, especially around the wing. While he may only be rated as three-star player in most recruiting sites, he has seen a steady rise in his recruitment ever since leading Team Takeover to the EYBL Peach Jam Title. He is name to keep an eye as far as who Indiana is recruiting this offseason.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Michigan, Villanova, Miami, Maryland, Virginia and
others
Asa Newell: (6-9; Small Forward)
Team: 1Family
Circuit: PRO16
High School: Montverde Academy (FL)
Scouting Notes: Another Montverde Academy prospect that Mike Woodson and Indiana have their eye on is 6-foot-9, five-star wing Asa Newell. When it comes to pure skill and athleticism, the lefty wing is near the top when it comes to the 2024 class. He is an aggressive finisher around the basket that plays above the rim and has showed good improvement shooting from the outside with a smooth looking stroke. With his height and high athletic ability, he has proved that he can guard both the wing and post while also showing his consistent rim-protecting skills. Newell is another highly skilled wing that would fit well into Mike Woodson’s system.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Kansas, Texas, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Virginia
Tech, Florida State, and others
VJ Edgecombe: (6-5; Small Forward)
Team: Southeast Elite
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Long Island Lutheran (NY)
Scouting Notes: Edgecombe may still be under-the-radar a bit, but his stock is slowly rising and he is starting to be become one of the top prospects in the 2024 class. He is a player that plays very aggressive on both ends of the floor. On the offensive end, he can really score any which way you need him to whether that be knocking down the outside jumper or playing through contact and getting to the rim. On the defensive end, he is someone that takes great pride in defending and is great about using his hands to create steals which lead to many transition buckets. With his athletic ability, he is also a fantastic rebounder. He may be newly on Indiana’s radar, but you can expect Mike Woodson and Indiana to make him a priority as they look for more playmaking around the wing.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Miami, Villanova, Michigan, Ohio State, St. John’s, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Wake Forest, and others
Raleigh Burgess: (6-10; Power Forward)
Team: Indiana Elite 2024
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Sycamore High School (OH)
Scouting Notes: At 6-foot-10, Burgess is a power forward that has incredible footwork and movement. The versatile post has showed he can do a little bit of everything at a solid rate and has improved at stretching the floor and knocking down the outside looks. Around the basket, he utilizes his strength, physicality, and IQ to score at a high level. He is very consistent guarding the post and has the shot blocking ability to go with it. He is coming off a broken foot he suffered during the high school season bur should be ready to go as the AAU season kicks off later this month. Burgess is another player that has been on Indiana’s radar since last year and could benefit playing the four in Mike Woodson’s system.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Purdue, Xavier, Cincinnati, Virginia, Stanford, Wisconsin,
Ohio State, Iowa, and others
Tyler Betsey: (6-7; Small Forward)
Team: NY Renaissance 17u
Circuit: EYBL
High School: St. Thomas More (CT)
Scouting Notes: Betsey comes into this AAU season as arguably the biggest stock-riser in the entire 2024 class. The reason in such the rise in a lot of the 2024 rankings is because of the improvements he has made both as a defender and ability to create his own shot. At his position, he has the elite combination of size and length which makes him a very hard player to defend especially once he finds his rhythm in a game. As Mike Woodson and Indiana look to improve at the wing each year, Betsey is a great option when recruiting that area. With a wide-open recruitment as of right now, expect Mike Woodson and Indiana to be active here.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Iowa, Duke, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Providence, UCONN, Seton Hall, Xavier, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan State, Memphis, LSU, St. John’s, and others
Jonathan Powell: (6-6; Shooting Guard)
Team: All Ohio Red 17u
Circuit: EYBL
High School: Centerville High School (OH)
Scouting Notes: Powell is a player that has been on Indiana’s radar dating back to last year with Woodson and staff ramping up their attention once Powell joined 2023 Indiana signee Gabe Cupps at Centerville High School. At 6-6, Powell has some of the best scoring ability among his classmates and is good about creating offense for himself. He provides versatility on the offensive end being that he can play both on and off the ball consistently but has shown to be at his best when he has the ball and can make a play off the dribble. His length and athleticism gives him the chances to guard the wing and challenge outside shots. His recruitment overall has seen a steady rise and a big spring/summer could see even more schools become involved.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Xavier, Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio, Alabama, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, and Clemson
Somto Cyril: (6-10; Center)
Team: EAB Tennessee 17U
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Overtime Elite (Pro League) (GA)
Scouting Notes: Out of the players listed here, Cyril is the only player with pro-basketball experience playing for Cold Hearts in the Overtime Elite Pro League this past year where he averaged 8.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game while also being named the Overtime Elite Defensive Player of the Year. Because of his size and frame, he goes by the name “Baby Shaq” and backs its up with his elite ability to blocks shots, protect the rim, and rebound. He is not a guy right now that is going to blow you away with high spurts of scoring but he is going to do everything else that helps his team win. When he is scoring scoring, he is going to do it around the basket and dunk it with so much force. He has made it clear in the past that he’s like to play for a blueblood program that produces a lot of NBA talent so Mike Woodson and Indiana have a good shot here.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Tennessee, Kansas, Florida, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Alabama, and others
Rakease Passmore: (6-5; Small Forward)
Team: Garner Road 2024
Circuit: 3SSB
High School: Combine Academy (NC)
Scouting Notes: Passmore is a long, athletic wing that loves to fly around the court. The style in which he plays with is fast and exciting especially when he is able to get out in transition. While he is an improved, capable shooter, he loves to attack the basket and finish above the rim as much as he can. Defensively, he is versatile enough right now to guard multiple spots on the floor and his length and athletic ability really helps on that end. As far as main wing targets for Mike Woodson and Indiana, Passmore has been a name that has popped up in the past with his only official visit he has taken so far was at Indiana back in early November. With the amount of schools that are going after him, Passmore is projected to be a high-end target this spring/summer.
Main Programs Involved: Indiana, Tennessee, Texas A&M, NC State, LSU, Auburn, Oregon, Houston, USC, Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Illinois, Miami (FL), and others
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