‘The sky is the limit’: Mike Woodson comments on Indiana basketball selections in 2023 NBA Draft

The Indiana basketball program hadn’t had a NBA Draft selection since 2019 entering Thursday night. But, after a few hours that all changed.

Indiana saw Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jalen Hood-Schifino drafted No. 17 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers — the 27th player in program history to earn a first-round selection. Then, despite an up-and-down night, consensus First-Team All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis was selected No. 57 overall by the Golden State Warriors.

It was the first time since 2017 that the Hoosiers had multiple players selected in an NBA Draft.

Indiana basketball leads the Big Ten with 79 players (Michigan ranks second with 78) selected in the NBA Draft since the inception in 1947.

For Hood-Schifino, the former five-star prospect came into his freshman season at Indiana not expecting to be a one-and-done player. But, after the success he had and development he saw in Bloomington, it was inevitable.

Hood-Schifino averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game as a freshman and was the first Indiana player to have multiple 30+ point games in his first season since Eric Gordon. His 35 points against Purdue were the second-most points by an Indiana freshman. It was also the first time in the last 25 years for a freshman to score at least 35 points in a road victory over an AP top-5 team.

More: Watch Jalen Hood-Schifino selected by Los Angeles Lakers in NBA Draft

The 6-foot-5 guard now heads to a storied organization — continuing his career playing for championship-caliber programs.

“His ceiling is very high. When I recruited him, I thought he had all the pro tendencies. When he came in here, he did everything so professionally, on and off the court, that you knew he had an opportunity to play at the next level,” IU head coach Mike Woodson said. “I thought the process was sped up because we did a lot of things to help him from an NBA standpoint. And he excelled. We kind of threw him to the wolves after Xavier Johnson got hurt and he never let us down. He did a lot of wonderful things during that time that has put him in this position.

“I think the sky is the limit for him. Los Angeles Lakers got a solid player on and off the floor that’s going to work his tail off. That’s all you can ask from a rookie coming in. He’ll learn the NBA and we’ll be talking about him probably 10 years down the road because he’ll have a solid career in the NBA.”

Hood-Schifino was the first Indiana player invited to the NBA Green Room since Romeo Langford in 2019.

Also: 2023 NBA Draft: Full Q&A from Jalen Hood-Schifino after being drafted by Los Angeles Lakers

Jackson-Davis ended his Indiana basketball career as one of the most decorated players in program history. This past season he averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks per game. He was a consensus First-Team All-American and unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection. He was also the Karl Malone Award winner for the top power forward in the country.

Jackson-Davis’ scoring average marked the highest for an Indiana basketball player since Eric Gordon (20.9 points per game in 2007-08). His rebounding average was the highest since Steve Downing (15.1 rebounds per game in 1972-73). Additionally, his blocks per game was the most since Dean Garrett (3.4 blocks per game in 1987-88).

Jackson-Davis is the lone Indiana player in program history to score 2,000+ points and grab 1,000+ rebounds. He is one of only five Big Ten players to accomplish that.

He finished his Indiana career as the program’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,143) and blocked shots (270) and was third in scoring (2,258) and double-doubles (50).

“It is scary how far Trayce Jackson-Davis has come. The things I have shown him, he’s done. He rebounded the ball, he had high assists, he had blocks, he had big nights scoring the ball, rebounding the ball. There is nothing he cannot do,” Woodson said. “He has been questioned about his jump shot, but I think this summer he has been proving people wrong there in the camps that he’s attended, where he had to work and show these general managers and presidents of these teams, these scouts, that he can shoot the basketball.

“So, again, the sky is the limit for him. He is ready for the NBA because he is so athletic and can do a lot of things. He can get up and down the floor and finish around the rim. Golden State got a hell of a player.”

Both players are expected to compete in the NBA Summer League. That begins in the California Classic on July 3 for both players. The main summer league action then takes place in Las Vegas, beginning July 7 and running through July 15.

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball looks to 2023 NBA Draft as culmination of past two years

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