Indiana completed its basketball summer workouts on Friday but continued to adjust its 2024-25 roster. On Tuesday, the program announced the signing of Dallas James, a center who spent the past four seasons at South Carolina State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
Though not a high-profile addition, having another 7-footer on the roster is beneficial, especially as Indiana prepares to start the season with 12 scholarship players and one remaining unfilled spot. James joins the team with one year of eligibility left, so his addition won’t affect future roster flexibility.
James’s presence this season is seen as a bonus with no downside. While it might have been advantageous to use the 13th scholarship for a 3-point shooter, the current roster already has competition at the guard and wing positions, where some players will inevitably miss out on minutes. No team utilizes a 13-man rotation.
“Dallas is a highly intelligent young man who will add depth to our front line,” said Coach Mike Woodson. “He’s tall with long arms, which allows him to contest and alter shots at the rim. His NBA background, with his father’s decade in the league, makes us excited to have the James family join us in Bloomington.”
With this addition, Coach Woodson’s roster for the upcoming season is now set. Indiana has replaced departing players Xavier Johnson, Anthony Walker, Kel’el Ware, CJ Gunn, Kaleb Banks, and Payton Sparks with transfers Myles Rice (Washington State), Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford), Oumar Ballo (Arizona), Luke Goode (Illinois), Langdon Hatton (Bellarmine), and James, along with five-star freshman Bryson Tucker. This new seven-man class is ranked 14th nationally and 3rd in the Big Ten by 247Sports, contributing to Indiana’s No. 18 ranking in ESPN’s early preseason college basketball poll.
James’s addition won’t significantly alter Indiana’s preseason outlook on a national or Big Ten scale. The major roster adjustments were made earlier, with key transfers like Ballo and improvements in guard play through Rice and Carlyle. Woodson has assembled a roster where every player could compete for minutes, making it possible for James to face tough competition for playing time.
Indiana’s 2024-25 roster is different from previous years, particularly concerning the center position. With new starting center Oumar Ballo, who averaged 26 minutes per game last season, there will be open minutes that Woodson used to allocate to his starting center. These minutes could be filled in various ways, including by Goode and Mackenzie Mgbako at power forward or Malik Reneau playing occasional minutes at center.
Additionally, Indiana added Hatton, a 6-foot-10 center from Bellarmine, who can also stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting ability. James’s potential role could increase if Ballo, Reneau, or Hatton face injuries or foul trouble, similar to how backup center Michael Durr contributed significantly in past games.
James averaged 0.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game at South Carolina State last season. His most productive season was in 2022-23, with 2.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. With a career field goal percentage of 56.2% and no 3-point attempts, James’s most significant value may come in practice, helping to prepare Ballo for the challenges of Big Ten play.
With this final roster move, Indiana’s offseason retooling is complete, and the new-look team will debut on Nov. 1 in an exhibition game against Marian University, coached by Pat Knight, son of Indiana’s Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight.
