Hulls taking on leadership role for upcoming season

Sporting an Army-like hair cut, junior guard Jordan Hulls is ready for the first day of IU men’s basketball team’s individual workouts.

After a summer playing in China and against professional players in the Indy Pro AM, the Bloomington man has taken on another role this offseason — becoming a more vocal leader.

Halfway through his collegiate career, Hulls knows the clock is ticking on returning the team he grew up watching to a national powerhouse.

“Time is going by fast, and we have to try and make the most out of that,” Hulls said. “We can be friends after we are done working out. Once it’s on the field, it’s all business, and we need to get stuff done.”

The 2009 Mr. Indiana Basketball, Hulls said he led more by example in high school and that becoming a more vocal leader with the Hoosiers took some time.

“It’s just something that I’ve taken upon myself and been asked (to take) upon me,” Hulls said. “Being the point guard as well, (being a leader) is something that I have to be. We need to have somebody to be that guy, and I’m more than willing to be that guy.”

IU has won 10 and 12 games in the past two seasons. With expectations for  higher this season, Hulls said it was time to step forward.

“It was apparent to me my freshman year that it needed to happen,” Hulls said. “Even more so right now, we just need to get more wins and have somebody out there to hold each other accountable.”

Earlier this summer, Hulls and sophomore guard Victor Oladipo represented their country on basketball courts around China.

The duo headed to China on May 17 for a two-week trip with Reach USA, a Christian Evangelist organization, playing nine games against a team of players from Brazil and Lithuania.

After returning from China, Hulls headed to the Indy Pro AM where he and his teammates took part in pick-up basketball games two times a week against players from the NBA and overseas.

In high school, Hulls’ Bloomington South squad went undefeated and won the IHSAA State Championship in 2009. Hulls’ leadership led to wins in high school, and now he is trying to do the same at IU.

“I want to win, so I’m going to do whatever it takes to try and get more wins in the win column,” Hulls said. “Like I said, I don’t need to yell at them if they don’t need to be yelled at. If you don’t like it then that’s too bad, but that’s how we are going to win.”