Column: Hoosiers have a lot to be proud of on draft night

IU Coach Tom Crean deserves a few moments to recline in his office chair, exhale and bask in the accomplishments of his player development program.

After five seasons in Bloomington, Crean will, at long last, hear the names of at least two of his IU players — Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller — called on Thursday evening during the 2013 NBA Draft.

While some may wonder why this is viewed as such a tremendous feat, they simply need to understand where the IU program was five seasons ago.

Former head coach Kelvin Sampson crumbled the foundation of the program to its core through major NCAA violations, leading to a harrowing rebuilding effort on the part of Crean and his staff.

Fast-forward five years, and the Hoosiers have two players pegged as sure-fire lottery picks.

It’s unthinkable and makes Oladipo and Zeller’s time in the limelight that much sweeter.

In my 2013 mock draft, I predicted Oladipo to be selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fifth overall pick, and Zeller to be taken by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 10th overall pick.

Oladipo’s journey has been a special one, as he flew under the radar as a high school prospect, earning a 3-star rating from Rivals.com.

But with the amount of work he put in during three seasons at IU (just ask Crean about how Oladipo and rising senior Will Sheehey changed the “work” culture within the program), he transformed himself into a lottery pick.

That transformation came full circle during the Hoosiers’ road contest at the Breslin Center against Michigan State, which was televised by ESPN.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson was on the call, and, at one point, declared Oladipo a combination of Dwyane Wade and Michael Jordan.

Did you hear that, kids?

Crean developed an undervalued high school prospect into a player worthy of that type of acknowledgment.

And that’s where the concept of Oladipo and Zeller’s draft statuses become the gifts that keep on giving; recruits are going to see and remember Crean’s ability to develop these two players into lottery picks.

Regardless of which teams select these two players, what they’ll be receiving is a direct reflection of the IU program.

Hard work, dedication, selflessness and a team-first attitude are each qualities possessed by both Oladipo and Zeller, qualities that have become a rare breed during the prima donna AAU era.

Teams will also be receiving franchise-altering players.

In Zeller, a team will have a post presence that alters shots and runs the floor like a guard. With some polishing of his post moves and mid-range jump shot, Zeller may just become an All-Star caliber player.

And in Oladipo, a team will receive an immediate rotation player who will provide the type of lockdown defense that has earned him his reputation. If he develops his perimeter jump shot, the Upper Marlboro, Md., product could become a regular starter at the small forward position.

Not bad for a program that was in the dark ages as recently as 2010.

­— ckillore@indiana.edu