Former IU forward Derek Elston has returned to the basketball program to serve as the director of Player Development, according to an IU Athletics press release Monday.
According to the release, Elston’s duties will include mentoring players and life skills programming, administrative operations and involvement in the program’s support services.
The Tipton, Indiana, native played for IU from 2009-13. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game during his IU career.
“It is an honor to be back with the Indiana basketball program and to have the opportunity to work with Coach Crean,” Elston said in the release. “I’m excited to be able to help out the program that gave me so much. I cannot thank Coach enough for this opportunity.”
Elston returns to Bloomington after playing professionally overseas for two seasons.
Elston spent his first season out of college playing for Floriana in Malta, where he averaged 26.1 points and 11.6 rebounds.
“Derek Elston has been a major part of everything here from walking in when it was at the bottom and helping the program become a champion again,” IU Coach Tom Crean said in the release. “From the day he left Indiana with two degrees, he’s gone out of his way to sustain a level of connectivity to the program by investing his own energy in the program.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree in sports communication broadcast in three years, he earned a master’s degree in sports administration in his senior year.
“Derek was the unheralded leader in his time at Indiana and his leadership skills are going to be very beneficial to the program,” Crean said. “Derek gets it on many levels. Perhaps above all else, Derek understands and appreciates what Indiana basketball is. He has tremendous respect and admiration for our former players, he’s lived it, and he’s invested in our program’s future.”
Andy Wittry
