Indiana Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class
Khristian Lander – Evansville, IN
PG | 6-foot-2 | 165 lbs | No. 17 overall
Khristian Lander became the finishing touch to Indiana’s Top 15 recruiting class when he announced his decision to reclassify to 2020. The 6-foot-2 point guard was originally a member of the 2021 class but is a five-star prospect either way. This move had been largely expected for the last few months but it is still a major development for the Hoosiers. With his decision, Lander is now the top-rated incoming freshman to the Big Ten next season.
In terms of how he changes the outlook for the Hoosiers, Lander is the type of difference-maker that could really take the team over the top. Indiana is yet to truly put forth a great season under head coach Archie Miller but the roster now seems to be talent-rich and quite balanced. Most experts had already been pegging the Hoosiers as a fringe preseason Top 25 team but adding a five-star point guard to the mix should definitely elevate those projections.
In watching Lander play, it is easy to see why scouts are so excited about his potential. While playing alongside Top 150 prospects Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal during this past season, it was Lander that truly popped on the court with his incredible quickness and all-around skill.
He boasts shifty ball-handling and a great first step that allows him to get into the paint with relative ease. Once there, Lander is an explosive finisher at the rim and a highly-capable playmaker. While he was tasked with filling a scoring role in high school, he was the primary creator for Indiana Elite last summer. That was when he was able to showcase his complete game.
He is a nifty creator with elite-level speed and uses his lateral quickness to defend reasonably well too. Additionally, he is a viable threat from beyond the arc off the dribble with a solid size-up game and a nice step-back. Perhaps an underrated part of his game is his ability to make superb lead passes in transition.
Lander is the total package at the point guard spot and should fill a major role for Indiana right away next season. While setting high expectations for a true freshman is a tricky path, Lander is the type of player that can reach a high bar.
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On the whole, Indiana basketball’s 2020 recruiting class was quite solid with its original trio of Galloway, Leal, and Geronimo. Those three all represented solid wing options that could each bring a little something different to the floor with Galloway’s defense, Leal’s shooting, and Geronimo’s versatility. Adding Lander to the mix as a high-level point guard really takes this group over the top and the quartet deserves to be ranked among the nation’s best.