Trayce Jackson-Davis’ return makes IU basketball a legitimate Big Ten title contender in 2023.
BLOOMINGTON – Trayce Jackson-Davis will return for a fourth season at Indiana, giving Mike Woodson the biggest boost of his offseason and putting the Hoosiers in the Big Ten title race for 2023.
He announced the news on social media with a minute-long highlight video that ended with the words, “I’m Back.”
“The opportunity to work on my game at the professional level was invaluable as I continue my development as a basketball player,” Jackson-Davis said in a news release issued Friday afternoon. “However, I am looking forward to returning to Indiana to see my coaches and teammates and build on what we accomplished at the end of the season. I have goals for our team and for myself on the court, but most importantly, at the end of next year, I will be proud to say I am an IU graduate.
Jackson-Davis previously declared for the draft while maintaining his eligibility. It was the Center Grove product’s first trip through the pre-draft process, as he had chosen not to declare in either of the previous two offseasons.
2022-23 schedule: Mike Woodson fulfills his promise to improve IU’s schedule. It’ll be challenging and fascinating.
NBA vs. NIL: Trayce Jackson-Davis’ draft decision could provide an interesting case study.
Despite being invited to the NBA combine, Jackson-Davis was unable to participate after testing positive for COVID-19. Most mock drafts and projections placed him between a second-round pick and an undrafted free agent.
Instead, Jackson-Davis decided to return to school for his fourth season. He has the potential to break numerous IU records this winter and is expected to rank among the top five players in program history in a variety of categories, including career rebounds, blocks, and points. Jackson-Davis is already the program’s all-time leading offensive rebounder. Most importantly, his decision to return to school means Woodson’s roster is officially full for 2022-23.
This summer, the Hoosiers will welcome a four-man freshman class and return Race Thompson, Jackson-Davis’ frontcourt mate. Thompson decided to take advantage of the COVID waiver and extend his eligibility for a sixth year. This will be his final college season.
Indiana had been holding Jackson-Davis’ scholarship open, and now that the May 1 deadline for immediate transfer eligibility has passed, Woodson appears to have a good idea of what his lineup will be next winter.
Leave a Reply