Myles Rice has ‘natural’ leadership skills and that was evident to his Indiana basketball teammates from day one: ‘We haven’t had a vocal leader like him’

The point guard position is not only an extension of a head coach, it’s the position and typically the player that is one of the main leaders of the team. While it doesn’t always start from day one, certain players have a knack for that and carry that leadership skillset with them. That’s the case for Indiana basketball point guard Myles Rice.

The Washington State transfer arrived on campus this summer and almost immediately saw the team draw towards him. It’s not only his bubbly personality, but it’s his path that got him here and upbeat tone that has others looking his way.

“I would say it comes natural to me,” Rice said at Indiana’s Media Day last month about his leadership ability.  “You’re never around the same people every year or every moment. So just being able to be comfortable in your skin and be a leader wherever you’re at, I think that carries over to here.

“I’ve been a leader and been outgoing since I was two, three years old thanks to my Mom. So it’s just me being able to be comfortable in my skin, knowing that they want me to be a leader.”

It’s that leadership ability that has been a huge void for Indiana basketball for much of the last decade — one that also coincides with their last Big Ten Championship. That was Yogi Ferrell. Now, Indiana has its best team under Mike Woodson, and likely its best team since that Big Ten Championship team.

So, it only makes sense that the best leader the program has seen since then could be Rice.

And his leadership was a necessity for this team, specifically. With seven new players added this offseason, it was easy for this team to try to go in different directions when they all arrived on campus. But, it was Rice who made sure that wasn’t the case.

“From day one, the way he came in and took over as a leader, it’s amazing to see,” IU guard Trey Galloway said at Big Ten Media Day. “It made me proud and happy to have him be my teammate. We haven’t had a vocal leader like him, because there’s no one like him that I’ve played with ever. The way he’s able to talk to guys and be that influencer on the court is very special to see.”

“It’s a new team, so it’s hard for guys to speak up. People are shy obviously, but he’s not.  That’s a good quality to have, and he’s able to bring guys together.  There were plenty of times this summer where we needed somebody to be vocal and he was that guy.  It was something that we needed and it’s going to pay off for us in the long run.”

As good as Rice is on the court as a player, it’s that leadership style that drew the Indiana basketball staff to him when they started recruiting him out of the portal.

And, Woodson knew it’s exactly what he and this team needed.

“Point guards do need to be an extension of the head coach,” Woodson said. “That was something when were recruiting him (Rice) that we talked to him about. That position requires leadership.”

The ability to lead comes with a lot of attention and criticism when things don’t go the right way. It’s not a position that a lot of people actively want to seek out. It’s not easy.

But neither is overcoming cancer — something Rice has already dealt with in his young life and career.

So he knows not to take anything for granted, but that nothing he does not will be anywhere near as challenging as the few years before his breakout freshman year.

“Anything that comes my way now won’t really contest to that at all,” Rice said at IU media day.

“I’m always preaching positivity, Always have a smile on my face and that’s just the thing I want people to remember about me — that I’m always going to be a positive person.”

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