White to remain at IU

The wait is finally over for IU basketball fans.\nJunior forward D.J. White, who many Hoosier fans and scouts believed would jump to the NBA after this past season, announced Tuesday that he will be back with the squad for the 2007-08 campaign.\n“I believe it is in my best interest to return for my senior season,” he said in a statement. “I learned a lot from coach (Kelvin) Sampson and the rest of the coaching staff and really improved my game last year. I’m excited to take my game to another level and I look forward to a very successful season with my team.”\nLast season White anchored the Hoosiers’ starting lineup with 13.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while also being named a second team, All-Big Ten selection. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native finished out the 2006-07 season with three straight double-doubles, including 12 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks against UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.\nWhite made an immediate impact on the Hoosiers during the 2004-05 season as a freshman. The 6-foot-9 forward garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and led all freshmen in the conference in scoring, blocks and field-goal percentage. \nHowever, White’s sophomore season was a different story. The IU big man played in just five games after breaking and re-breaking his left foot.\nWhile many scouts believed White could be taken somewhere in the second round of this year’s NBA draft, the decision to stay was made with his family, he said.\n“Another factor in my decision is I want to graduate,” White said. “Getting my degree from Indiana University is very important to me and my family.”\nWhite will return to a Hoosier squad that already boasts one of the top recruiting classes in the nation and is ranked in some preseason top 10 polls, according to several media outlets. White will be part of a starting lineup that could also include Indianapolis native Eric Gordon, rated the No. 1 shooting guard in the nation by recruiting Web site Rivals.com.\nEarlier this offseason, Sampson said he encouraged White to explore his options and professional status. Tuesday, though, the coach said he was pleased with White’s decision.\n“D.J. was one of our three captains last year and has been our leader in off-season workouts,” the IU coach said in a statement. “I think he made a wise decision. Not only is he going to improve on the court, but he will receive his degree as well, which is even more important.”