Indiana basketball landed a major commitment Tuesday afternoon in coveted transfer guard Lamar Wilkerson. The 6-foot-5 Sam Houston transfer averaged 20.5 points per game this past season and shot 44.5 percent from 3-point range on 3.4 made 3s per game. Wilkerson has one year of eligibility remaining.
Wilkerson, who chose IU over Kentucky, Auburn and a host of other high-major schools, detailed his commitment Tuesday on The Field of 68 Podcast. And what does Wilkerson plan to bring to Bloomington? Electricity.
“You could expect to see a good dude that’s all in and 100 percent for bring Indiana Hoosier basketball back,” Wilkerson said. “I like to think I’m very electric. I play with a lot of passion. I might play with too much passion at times, but I feel like you’ll get an electrifying player that’s gonna go 110 percent with whatever jersey I’m repping, and I’m happy to say it’s going to be Indiana Hoosiers.”
The Ashdown, Ark., native began his career at JUCO school Three Rivers Community College before transferring to Sam Houston in 2022. In two seasons with the Bearkats, Wilkerson was a two-time First Team All-Conference USA selection. This past season, he totaled 17 games of 20 or more points and 10 games of 25 or more points.
“It was a hard decision, but Indiana just felt like home,” Wilkerson said. “I’m ready to bring Hoosier basketball back.”
Wilkerson is ranked the No. 42 overall transfer and No. 9 transfer shooting guard according to 247Sports. He is the second-highest ranked transfer shooting guard not coming from a high-major school.
When asked why he chose Indiana over Kentucky — his final two schools — Wilkerson said he wanted to restore Indiana’s winning tradition and history.
“It was a pleasure to be recruited by Kentucky, but I didn’t want to go to Kentucky and just be another guy that has already been to Kentucky,” Wilkerson said. “Hoosiers basketball is a big-time name, and they haven’t been where they wanted to be. I trust Coach DeVries and what he’s bringing in and the type of coach he is and how he’s gonna put us in position win.”
Wilkerson developed a close relationship with new Indiana head coach Darian DeVries throughout the recruiting process, which culminated Tuesday in a surprise from DeVries that Wilkerson said helped seal the deal for the Hoosiers.
“It really wasn’t the pitch, it was just him as a person,” Wilkerson said. “You could tell he was very genuine about what he says. He actually flew out here today to come see me and so that was big, man, that was major. I want to go where I’m a priority, and Indiana makes me feel like priority”
Wilkerson’s journey from JUCO to low-major to now playing in the Big Ten is a culmination, he said. But his experiences along the way have led him in Bloomington.
“Small-town dude. I had a chip on my shoulder,” Wilkerson said. “Nothing was ever handed to me from out of high school when I went JUCO, to JUCO when I went D-I, and now we’re here. So I’ve never had anything handed to me.”
Wilkerson is Indiana’s fourth transfer commit this offseason, joining West Virginia transfer forward Tucker DeVries, DePaul transfer point guard Conor Enright and Davidson transfer forward Reed Bailey.
Wilkerson’s singular focus at Indiana is put the Hoosiers back on the national map.
“We could do this together,” Wilkerson said. “It’s just going to make my story better, [DeVries’] story better, and then Hoosier basketball will be back.”
