Crean excited about ’09 recruiting class’ depth

Sixteen is typically a sweet number in college basketball. But for IU coach Tom Crean, a lack of depth on his 16-player roster might leave him a bit sour at times this year, especially with a “razor-thin” frontcourt.

But after receiving five signed national letters of intent Wednesday and a sixth Thursday, IU has two guards, three forwards and a center ready to help Crean rebuild the IU basketball program starting next fall.

“I think it helps put us in a situation where we can eventually have that consistent depth that you have, and I think that’s so important,” he said at his Thursday press conference.

Though Mt. Zion Academy (N.C.) center Bawa Muniru did not get his papers until late Thursday afternoon, Crean did speak about the 2009 recruiting class as a whole. He did not discuss Muniru specifically, per NCAA rules.

“It’s a really exciting time for us to know that they stood with us,” Crean said. “They wanted to be a part of this program and we weathered the storm, they weathered the storms. When self doubt can creep in, when you wonder what’s going to happen to a program, everybody stayed strong. I’m really proud of them, and I’m proud of our coaches.”

Crean said immediate playing time and style of play were factors for the recruits, but said he also felt the tradition of IU basketball was important.

“I think they believed in what Indiana’s all about,” he said. “For some of the young men like Maurice (Creek) to commit when he did before he’d been on a visit, and for Derek (Elston) to stick with us before he’d ever seen us coach (and) for Christian (Watford) to turn down the schools that he turned down, it’s a big deal.”

While consensus four-star recruits Creek and Watford might be seen as the faces of the recruiting class, Crean recognizes the significance of all six of the 2009 recruits.

In fact, after watching Jordan Hulls play this summer “and seeing what he’s capable of,” Crean said he would have been “miserable,” if the Bloomington South point guard did not end up at IU.

“I think he’s got the whole package,” Crean said. “He’s as much of a pure leader that we have recruited since we recruited (current Indiana Pacer) Travis Diener at Marquette. And I know they get a lot of comparisons and rightfully so, and Travis has earned his way into being an NBA player, but Jordan has got a lot of that same demeanor.”

Crean said Bobby Capobianco and the aforementioned Elston, both 6-foot-8 forwards, can shoot the ball. But they will also be able to help fill the void down low, a serious problem for the Hoosiers this year.

“I think when you look at our front line and you look at the lack of size that we have there, it’s not going to be hard to find a place for four guys 6-foot-8-and-a-half  or better,” Crean said. “We need that.”

Muniru, listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 lbs. by Scout.com, is also expected to help returning big men Tom Pritchard and Tijan Jobe.

In a statement released early Thursday evening, Crean said he will be “someone that brings great size and presence to our front line right off the bat.”

Though Crean anticipates having 13 scholarship players next year and also has several walk-ons with the potential to return, he isn’t concerned.

“I’d much rather have it be that way than what we’re doing right now, which is searching all the time (to fill the roster),” he said.

After all, he’ll have depth.