Indiana should go all in on Brad Stevens to bring program back to glory

Rumors abound in Bloomington, where a basketball program remains in a state of disarray. Longtime NBA player and coach Mike Woodson has been back at his alma mater since 2021 but the recent results have been disappointing for his Hoosiers. Indiana made the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons at the helm, including as a 4-seed in 2023, but the last two years have not been comparable or acceptable results.

The Hoosiers could find themselves as a major part of the coaching carousel this offseason, especially with recent rumors that Woodson could retire or step away from the program at season’s end. Indiana has lost six of their last seven games, not only tumbling through the Big Ten standings but also putting themselves in position to miss another NCAA Tournament.

Whether or not there’s time to fix this current season, a lot of people in Bloomington have their eyes on the future. This next head coaching hire is going to be very important. The recent runs from both Woodson and predecessor Archie Miller have brought little more than frustration and wasted potential to town. This program needs to make a splash and bring in someone who can elevate the Hoosiers back into a national power, something they haven’t been for many years.

Among the names that’ll be mentioned in the days, weeks, and months ahead, Brad Stevens is the biggest home run that the Hoosiers could consider. We haven’t seen Stevens at the collegiate level in over a decade, but he did incredible things running Butler, taking the Bulldogs on consecutive trips to the national championship game. If Stevens can build that dominance in the Horizon League, surely he can resurrect the Hoosiers?

Would Stevens return to his home state if the price is right? He’s currently the President of the Boston Celtics, a position he’s held after eight years as the franchise’s head coach. His organization won the most recent NBA title and his stock in the front office has never been higher. However, if there’s an itch to get back into coaching or return to the collegiate game, Indiana offers everything he could possibly want.

Indiana should give him everything he wants, both in terms of security, in his own contract, and for NIL support around the program. Stevens is the kind of coach who can rewrite a winning culture in Bloomington and inspire fanbase young and old alike. His work with Butler may be far in the rearview, but his recent success with the Celtics shows that he’s still a brilliant basketball mind. Should Stevens consider the Indiana job if it opens in the coming weeks?