IU nabs highly ranked recruits for '04

In an attempt to solidify its success in the future, IU has garnered a very talented recruiting class for 2004-05. \nThe headliners of that class are D.J. White, a 6-foot-8-inch, 233-pound forward from Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Josh Smith, a 6-foot-9-inch power forward, who played at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Ga., last season. \nWhite, who made his intentions clear while playing at the Nike All-America Camp in Indianapolis, is considered by many recruiting services to be one of the top 10 players in the class of 2004.\nWhite verbally committed to play for the Hoosiers on July 7, and he will begin playing in the 2004-05 season after he finishes his senior season at Hillcrest High School. \nWith his big frame, White commands a strong presence in the paint, but it's his ability to step away from the basket and to face up that coaches said impressed them.\n"He can handle the ball thoroughly," said assistant Hillcrest High School coach Bryant Lancaster. "He can go to the right and left well. (His high school coaches) want him to develop his outside game. We know he can play with his back to the basket. Next year, we want him to polish his outside game so he can use that to his advantage in college." \nBy stepping away from the basket, White gets the chance to use his ball-handling abilities. His scoring prowess is good, too. He averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior.\n"He is clearly one of the top three to four players at his position in the country and quite possibly a McDonald's All-American," recruiting analyst Greg Swaim said. "He really set himself up as a major prospect a year ago at the Nike All-American Camp, and last month he narrowed his recruiting list to IU, Florida and North Carolina."\nWhite's former high school coach Thad Fitzpatrick said he is a more versatile player now because of his ball-handling capabilities.\n"One of the things that has helped him is his ability to handle the ball," Fitzpatrick said. "It has helped him improve his game. His natural position is the four, but his ball-handling ability has improved at that position." \nLancaster said he believes White will one day play in the NBA, but first he will continue his basketball career by donning the cream and crimson. He added that White has a great deal of potential. \nWhite's assistant coach praised Coach Mike Davis and the reputable program he has developed at IU.\n"There are some big things that stand out about Mike Davis," Lancaster said. "He's a man of his word. He will teach D.J. not only how to become a better basketball player, but how to become a better person off the court. He will make sure D.J. is doing well in the classroom with his academics and that he develops as a person."\nSwaim said he has heard positive things about Davis as well. He elaborated on White's determining factor for selecting IU.\n"From everything we're hearing, Coach Davis and his staff just flat outworked everybody else for the kid," Swaim said. "D.J. has said that Coach Davis spent more time talking to him, while some of the other schools had their assistants talk to him. I think he felt more at home with Coach Davis and that's pretty consistent with what we hear from other kids being recruited by the Hoosiers."\nFitzpatrick concurred with Swaim's assessment.\n"I think his main decision was pretty much because of his relationship with Coach Mike Davis," he said. "It was the most important reason. You always want to go somewhere where you're comfortable with the coach."\nBesides basketball powerhouse Florida, IU was able to grasp White away from in-state power Alabama. \nIn addition to White, the Hoosiers were able to snatch Smith, a 6-foot-9-inch power forward. \nSmith is ranked by at least two publications as a top 10 player in the class. He made his plans clear while attending the ABCD Adidas camp in Teaneck, N.J, then made his verbal commitment July 9. \nHe will play his senior year at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds as a junior last year.\n"Smith is an awesome athlete who needs to work just a little on his jump shot," Swaim said. "But he is a monster on the offensive glass."\nSmith was also recruited by Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, North Carolina and Syracuse.\nSmith and White are the top recruits of IU's class and experts said they will form a dynamic frontcourt at IU.\n"Without a doubt, it's a top-five class," Fitzpatrick said. "It's subjective, though. I feel (White) will be productive at IU."\nIn addition to White and Smith, IU was able to receive commitments from Robert Vaden from Pike High School in Indianapolis and James Hardy from Elmhurst High School in Fort Wayne. Vaden stands 6-feet-5-inches tall, while Hardy stands 6-feet-6-inches tall. Vaden is the highest-ranked player out of the two, as he is projected as a top 40 prospect by most experts. \nLancaster abridged what White needs to do to improve his game, and he said he thinks the sky's the limit for White.\n"Basically D.J. just needs a year of polishing his skills, of enhancing his skills," Lancaster said. "He needs to use his senior year to brush up his outside game mainly. But I expect major contributions from D.J. his freshman year at IU." \nSwaim said he feels like the Hoosiers already have cemented a highly ranked recruiting class.\n"It will still be difficult for anyone to catch Texas, which already has five top 30 commitments," Swaim said. "But IU is right behind the Longhorns with White, Smith, ... Vaden ... and Hardy"