INDIANA UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL HOOPERS GONE PRO CAREER CHECK-INS

WRITTEN + EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER

Needless to say, things did not go as planned for B-Town legends Assembly Ball in the team’s 2025 TBT opener against Fail Harder. While the upset L was disappointing to say the least, it is always nice to see the boys get the band back together.

While the brief reunion was cut short sooner than anticipated, a return to one’s roots is simply good for the soul. After earning the opportunity to reconnect with some of their cream + crimson companions, the former Hoosiers should return to their respective journeys with a sense of refreshment as the get right back to the everlasting grind.

Speaking of their respective journeys, tuning into yesterday’s contest yielded curiosity regarding what has been going on recently for the former IUBB players now lacing up at the professional ranks. That curiosity translated to some research into all active pro hoops whom previously played balled in Bloomington at the collegiate level.

Here is what was collected. ¿Did we miss anyone?

2025 TBT x ASSEMBLY BALL ROSTER

James Blackmon Jr.

Aljami Durham

Yogi Ferrell

Jordan Hulls

Miller Kopp

Juwan Morgan

Race Thompson

Christian Watford

Troy Williams

Noah Vonleh

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NBA

OG Anunoby

AGE = 28

SEASONS AT IU = 2015-2017

PRO SEASONS = 8

CURRENT TEAM = New York Knicks

CAREER NOTES = Anunoby has evolved into arguably the NBA’s most underrated player via his consistent progression throughout his time in the association. Dude was (and still is) a defensive demon, only now he is much, MUCH more than someone who stands in the corner offensively.

Tamar Bates

AGE = 22

SEASONS AT IU = 2021-2023

PRO SEASONS = 0

CURRENT TEAM = Denver Nuggets

CAREER NOTES = Shortly after going undrafted in this year’s perennial NBA draft, Bates received a call from the Nuggets. Shortly after that phone call, it was announced that Denver had signed the Hoosier-turned-Tiger utilizing one of it’s two-way contracts. Keep going, Tamar!

Thomas Bryant

AGE = 27

SEASONS AT IU = 2015-2017

PRO SEASONS = 8

CURRENT TEAM = Free Agent

CAREER NOTES = It has been a relatively quiet career from an individual perspective for *NBA champion* Thomas Bryant thus far. While he has certainly flashed sporadic signs of brilliance (like hitting some mega clutch triples in the Pacers’ historic playoff run this past SZN), he has been unable to secure a long-term spot within any of the 5 NBA rosters for which he has played for. He obviously still has the potential to make a genuine difference on a playoff team, and every squad can use a high-octane frontcourt energizer of Bryant’s make and model.

Eric Gordon

AGE = 36

SEASONS AT IU = 2007-2008

PRO SEASONS = 16

CURRENT TEAM = Philadelphia 76ers

CAREER NOTES = The decline was crystal clear for former Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon in Philadelphia in 2024-2025, but that did not stop the 76ers from retaining one of IUBB’s best hoopers of the 21st century on another veteran minimum contract.

Jalen Hood-Schifino

AGE = 22

SEASONS AT IU = 2022-2023

PRO SEASONS = 2

CURRENT TEAM = Philadelphia 76ers

CAREER NOTES = JHS was never going to get the chance he deserved after being taken #17 by the Lakers in the 2023 draft, and produced some truly impressive moments with the injury-depleted Sixers after being traded midseason last year. If he stays on his present trajectory, Hood-Schifino could be in store for a regular rotation role looking ahead to the season to come.

Trayce Jackson-Davis

AGE = 25

SEASONS AT IU = 2019-2023

PRO SEASONS = 2

CURRENT TEAM = Golden State Warriors

CAREER NOTES = Aside from Isaiah Thomas, TJD made a strong opening case in the debate of the NBA’s greatest players ever selected with the final pick in the draft. Jackson-Davis displayed pure fearlessness right from the jump as a rookie, quickly earning the respect of his teammates + trust of his coaches. His role seemed to stagnate a bit as a sophomore, but the loss of Kevon Looney should open up more minutes for the southpaw.

Victor Oladipo

AGE = 33

SEASONS AT IU = 2010-2013

PRO SEASONS = 10

CURRENT TEAM = Free Agent

CAREER NOTES = Following 2 seasons away from the league, Victor Oladipo has publicly pronounced his desire to return to NBA action in 2024-2025. Honestly, there are a lot of teams out there that could desperately use a point-of-attack defender like Oladipo capable of causing chaos for opposing ball-handlers. And despite his longstanding battle with the injury bug, being away from the court for such a prolonged period should spell a fresh set of legs for the athletic freak.

Kel’el Ware

AGE = 21

SEASONS AT IU = 2023-2024

PRO SEASONS = 1

CURRENT TEAM = Miami Heat

CAREER NOTES = A lot of scouts questioned Ware’s motor and passion for the game leading up to the NBA draft. But after shattering combine records and being named to the All-Rookie Second Team last year, those same scouts no longer have a valid cause for concern.

Cody Zeller

AGE = 32

SEASONS AT IU = 2011-2013

PRO SEASONS = 11

CURRENT TEAM = Free Agent

CAREER NOTES = Big Z never blossomed into the type of All-Star big body that many had hoped for, but he has certainly strung together a solid career as a rim-running/protecting presence in the paint. Zeller and the Houston Rockets parted ways shortly after he was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans prior to last season’s deadline, and he is still in search of his next NBA contract. While he is hunting, reports have surfaced that he will be simultaneously returning to Indiana to join Darian DeVries’s staff as an assistant coach. If those rumors turn out to be true, welcome home big fella!

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G LEAGUE

Xavier Johnson

AGE = 25

SEASONS AT IU = 2021-2024

PRO SEASONS = 1

CURRENT TEAM = Sioux Falls Skyforce

CAREER NOTES = A beloved IUBB soldier, XJ suited up for a trio of G League affiliates over the course of his inaugural season as a pro. His numbers were far from attractive (2.6 PPG x 1.8 RPG x 2.1 APG), but his gritty nature remained unwavered whenever his feet met the floor.

Miller Kopp

AGE = 26

SEASONS AT IU = 2021-2023

PRO SEASONS = 2

CURRENT TEAM = Oklahoma City Blue

CAREER NOTES = As a 6’7” x 220 pound sharpshooter, Kopp’s playing days should be very VERY far from over. He has already won a G League title, plus he was selected to Team USA’s AmeriCup qualifying team earlier this year. Every modern team covets shooting and size, so possessing both bodes extremely well for the swingman.

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FIBA

Remy Abell

AGE = 32

SEASONS AT IU = 2011-2013

PRO SEASONS = 8

CURRENT LEAGUE = Hungary x A League

CURRENT TEAM = NKA Pecs

CAREER NOTES = Because Tom Crean had such a talent-stacked roster at the time, Abell was never able (no pun intended) to find his footing during his time as a Hoosier. He has come a long way since departing, and has developed into a physically-imposing scorer who can cook at every level of the court.

Oumar Ballo

AGE = 23

SEASONS AT IU = 2024-2025

PRO SEASONS = 0

CURRENT LEAGUE = Italy x Serie A2

CURRENT TEAM = Pallacanestro Cantú

CAREER NOTES = The odds of making an NBA roster were stacked heavily against Ballo as he went through the pre-draft processes and procedures. He inevitably went undrafted before signing a deal with the Miami Heat to compete for a roster spot in the Summer League. Unfortunately Ballo was restricted to garbage minutes with Miami, but thankfully it was announced yesterday that the big man from Mali would be signing a contract to play in Italy this season. Not sure you can ask for a more beautiful place to begin your professional playing career. Continua così, Oumar!

James Blackmon Jr.

AGE = 30

SEASONS AT IU = 2014-2017

PRO SEASONS = 5

CURRENT LEAGUE = Belgium x BNXT League

CURRENT TEAM = Stella Artois Leuven Bears

CAREER NOTES = When you sift through the rich history of B-Town bucket-getters, it is hard to find one as smooth x efficient as JBJ when you go back through his IUBB film/numbers. While those killer collegiate days have not translated to any major NBA noise, Blackmon Jr. brought his ways as an effective scoring threat with him across a few international stops before a knee injury knocked him out of action a few years back. It was good to see Blackmon Jr. back on the court with Assembly Ball, and Belgium’s got a good one en route.

Joey Brunk

AGE = 27

SEASONS AT IU = 2019-2020

PRO SEASONS = 3

CURRENT LEAGUE = Czech Republic x Mattoni NBL

CURRENT TEAM = BK KVIS Parduvice

CAREER NOTES = Brunk’s single season with IU was far from remarkable, but the rugged big man set the tone for the Hoosiers across that entire year. He has not transitioned into any sort of superstar through a trifecta of seasons in Europe, but remains a solid presence on both side of the floor.

Jordan Crawford

AGE = 36

SEASONS AT IU = 2007-2008

PRO SEASONS = 15

CURRENT LEAGUE = USA x BIG 3

CURRENT TEAM = Enemies

CAREER NOTES = Say what you want about Jordan Crawford, except that he does not get buckets. JC is legit one of the most entertaining shot-creators ever, and he is still shaking and baking under Ice Cube’s supervision to this day.

Aljami Durham

AGE = 26

SEASONS AT IU = 2017-2021

PRO SEASONS = 3

CURRENT LEAGUE = Spain x Liga Endesa

CURRENT TEAM = Basquet Girona

CAREER NOTES = Durham led Assembly Ball with 21 points in yesterday’s TBT loss, a friendly reminder to those who may have forgotten about Al’s bag work. He seems to have already built a nice reputation across the overseas landscape, and the lefty wing still has time to continue expanding his versatile skillset.

Yogi Ferrell

AGE = 32

SEASONS AT IU = 2012-2016

PRO SEASONS = 9

CURRENT LEAGUE = Yugoslavia (Adriatic) x Liga ABA

CURRENT TEAM = Buducnost Voli

CAREER NOTES = We could go on for days about this man/hero, but we will spare you the time. Long story short, Yogi is still playing the game the way it was supposed to be played. It is a shame that the NBA gave up on him so quickly due to his lack of size, as you could do wayyyyyyy worse than Yogi Ferrell at backup point guard.

Jordan Geronimo

AGE = 23

SEASONS AT IU = 2020-2023

PRO SEASONS = 0

CURRENT LEAGUE = Dominican Republic x TBS

CURRENT TEAM = San Lazaro

CAREER NOTES = Geronimo may have unknowingly started a trend of Hoosier basketball players transferring to Maryland (Myles Rice, Yarden Garzon), but once upon a time he played a nice little role at Indiana so we will look past that. Now, the rookie forward is currently competing down in the DR. ¡Sigue adelante, Jordan!

Devonte Green

AGE = 28

SEASONS AT IU = 2016-2020

PRO SEASONS = 3

CURRENT LEAGUE = Sweden x Basketligan

CURRENT TEAM = Norrkoping Dolphins

CAREER NOTES = Green is one of the more unheralded Hoosier hoopers across recent memory, as his ability to set the table while hounding opposing ball-handlers were major pluses for a program that was short on silver linings at the time. Unfortunately we did not see DG back in an Assembly Ball this year, but perhaps we will see him back in the candy stripes in 2026.

Jeremy Hollowell

AGE = 31

SEASONS AT IU = 2012-2014

PRO SEASONS = 8

CURRENT LEAGUE = Brazil x Basketball Champions League Americas

CURRENT TEAM = Minas

CAREER NOTES = Hollowell had his fair share of haters while at Indiana, but obviously that disrespect fuels him. The combo forward put together a pair of solid G League seasons after finishing his college career before cementing himself as a consistent double-digit scorer across multiple stops overseas.

Emmitt Holt

AGE = 29

SEASONS AT IU = 2014-2015

PRO SEASONS = 4

CURRENT LEAGUE = Argenta x Liga A

CURRENT TEAM = Instituto Cordoba

CAREER NOTES = Holt’s time at Indiana was doomed from the moment he was involved in an automobile accident which put former teammate Devin Davis’ life at serious risk. Thankfully, Davis made a full recovery. Further fortunately, Holt was able to bounce back from this incident. Some people let those type of situations eat at them and it winds up ruining their entire life. Keep going, E + D!

Robert Johnson

AGE = 30

SEASONS AT IU = 2014-2018

PRO SEASONS = 6

CURRENT LEAGUE = TBD

CURRENT TEAM = Free Agent

CAREER NOTES = One of the more steady-handed guards in Hoosier history, RoJo’s playing days could be coming to a close soon as no evidence of him signing any updated contracts has been found. If we have indeed seen the last of Johnson on the basketball court, we wish him all the best with whatever venture(s) await him!

Curtis Jones

AGE = 28

SEASONS AT IU = 2016-2018

PRO SEASONS = 3

CURRENT LEAGUE = Bulgaria x NBL

CURRENT TEAM = Balkan

CAREER NOTES = CuJo was one of those cases of “what could’ve been”. His combination of scoring x athleticism was undeniably enticing, he simply got caught in a numbers game which ultimately led to his transfer. Jones has been lighting opponents up through 3 seasons (16.8 PPG, 20.4 PPG and 19 PPG respectively), and there are no signs of him letting up anytime soon.

Romeo Langford

AGE = 25

SEASONS AT IU = 2018-2019

PRO SEASONS = 6

CURRENT LEAGUE = France x Betclic Elite

CURRENT TEAM = Gravelines

CAREER NOTES = Romeo, oh Romeo. Langford was primed to make big things happen in the NBA, but the former lottery pick was not able to put the pieces together. He still has plenty of time on his side, but will need to continue dominating at the highest overseas levels if he is ever going to not only make it back to the NBA but also stay back in the NBA.

Freddie McSwain

AGE = 30

SEASONS AT IU = 2016-2018

PRO SEASONS = 6

CURRENT LEAGUE = Japan x B3 League

CURRENT TEAM = Yamaguchi

CAREER NOTES = McSwain has long been known as a dogged dude with a passion for physicality, but go peep his most recent highlights from overseas and you will see that this dude is much more than your average ‘enforcer’ type. McBuckets!

Juwan Morgan

AGE = 28

SEASONS AT IU = 2015-2019

PRO SEASONS = 6

CURRENT LEAGUE = Yugoslavia (Adriatic) x Liga ABA

CURRENT TEAM = Buducnost Voli

CAREER NOTES = Via impressive 10-Day contract output, Morgan was able to secure a guaranteed contract with the Boston Celtics midseason in 2022. However, that was as close as he has come to staking claim on a long-term spot in the league. In spite of this, he can rest assured that there are endless teams in foreign territory with a hankering for his services as a versatile frontcourt body capable of holding his own at 3-5.

Hanner Mosquera-Perea

AGE = 32

SEASONS AT IU = 2012-2015

PRO SEASONS = 6

CURRENT LEAGUE = Colombia x LBP

CURRENT TEAM = Motilones

CAREER NOTES = HMP’s raw skillset held him back from establishing himself as a legitimate NBA prospect, but his physical gifts have allowed him to continue playing the game that he loves at a semi-professional level.

Josh Newkirk

AGE = 31

SEASONS AT IU = 2016-2018

PRO SEASONS = 5

CURRENT LEAGUE = Russia x Superleague 1

CURRENT TEAM = Dinamo V

CAREER NOTES = Similar to RoJo, Newkirk was a calming presence that Tom Crean knew he could count on. He has come back down to earth a bit after erupting for 19.4 PPG in the Czech Republic as a rookie back in 2019, but continues to showcase the collected nature that head coaches covet from their point guards.

Rob Phinisee

AGE = 25

SEASONS AT IU = 2018-2022

PRO SEASONS = 1

CURRENT LEAGUE = USA x TBL

CURRENT TEAM = Logansport IH

CAREER NOTES = Phinisee is the author of one of the top 5 biggest shots in IUBB history, but should be remembered for more than just that one specific moment of his 3-year tenure at Indiana. He has yet to secure any major deals in terms of super high level competition, but is actively playing in our national TBL semi-pro league. Scratch that. Phinisee is actively dominating in our national TBL semi-pro league. Check the numbers, they do not lie.

Race Thompson

AGE = 26

SEASONS AT IU = 2018-2023

PRO SEASONS = 2

CURRENT LEAGUE = Poland x PBL

CURRENT TEAM = Legia Warsaw

CAREER NOTES = After a stint with the Memphis Hustle in the G League, Thompson recently inked a deal to pursue a new chapter overseas in Poland. His pro career got off to a rough start, as he missed the entire 2023-2024 campaign while recovering from a tibia fracture. He picked up where he left off as a redshirt rookie last year, and now looks to make another leap.

Noah Vonleh

AGE = 29

SEASONS AT IU = 2013-2014

PRO SEASONS = 11

CURRENT LEAGUE = TBD

CURRENT TEAM = Free Agent

CAREER NOTES = Vonleh has made multiple pit stops across the NBA, and (aside from his appearance at TBT) was most recently a member of China’s infamous Shanghai Sharks club. Since his public testimonies pertaining to the nightmare experience that he endured in China, we have not really seen/heard any new updates regarding who Vonleh will play his next game for. At the end of the day, we just pray that wherever he goes welcomes him in a more comforting manner.

Anthony Walker

AGE = 24

SEASONS AT IU = 2023-2024

PRO SEASONS = 1

CURRENT LEAGUE = Canada x CEBL

CURRENT TEAM = Scarborough Shooting Stars

CAREER NOTES = Walker was a lowkey bright spot for a 2023-2024 IUBB team whose memories will forever be clouded in darkness. He has continued serving as a spark plug for his new team who is always willing to do the dirty work.

Troy Williams

AGE = 30

SEASONS AT IU = 2013-2016

PRO SEASONS = 9

CURRENT LEAGUE = Mexico x CIBACOPA

CURRENT TEAM = Mazatlan

CAREER NOTES = Troy Williams had a few promising flashes at the NBA level when he was first getting started, but there was just never enough buzz around his potential as he quickly became an afterthought amongst NBA execs. He has traveled across the globe playing the game he loves at the highest international levels since his informal shunning, so at the end of the day it will always be their loss.