NCAA Basketball: Which 2018 recruiting classes could be most influential?

Indiana Hoosiers

Class ranking: No. 9 nationally

Indiana basketball is one of the most storied programs in the Big Ten. However, they have missed the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons and the Hoosier faithful is hoping for a quick turnaround. Head coach Archie Miller is entering his second season in Bloomington and he has a top-10 recruiting class coming in for 2018-19.

Easily the top recruit in the class is hometown kid Romeo Langford. The hype around the 6’5″ guard knows no bounds, with many expecting Langford to take the Hoosiers back near the top of the Big Ten in his (likely) only season with IU. Out of New Albany, Indiana, Langford is an exciting in-state recruit that has everyone in the state excited.

However, Indiana’s 2018 recruiting class is far more than just Langford. Prior to his commitment on April 29, Coach Miller had already received signings from four other top-150 recruits. All of these players will help make up for the notable departures of graduates Robert Johnson and Josh Newkirk. In the backcourt, Robert Phinisee (No. 153) will slide into a role likely off the bench in his first season.

Up front, Jerome Hunter (No. 54) is the headline. The 6’7″ forward is extremely versatile and is getting slightly overshadowed due to the addition of Langford. His commitment might actually be the most important of the class for IU due to the fact that he is far more likely to spend four years in Bloomington compared to Langford. The other two frontcourt newcomers are Damezi Anderson (No. 114) and Jake Forrester (No. 137).

This five-man class has the potential to completely change the outlook of college hoops in Bloomington. Langford is the star and will be the focal point in 2018-19 but the other four players will make their impact felt over the next several years.