Indiana got a recruiting win on Tuesday with German center Felix Kiehlneker’s commitment, but the bigger story for Darian DeVries is the one that just got harder to crack.
The Hoosiers are still chasing a true headliner in Bloomington, and their push for five-star center Darius Wabbington took a hit when his official visit to Illinois was moved up. Joe Tipton of On3 reported that Wabbington will now be in Champaign this weekend, beginning Friday, September 18, after originally planning to visit the Illini on October 23.
That shift matters because Illinois is no longer just part of the mix - it’s looking like a real threat to land him. Brad Underwood has Illinois rolling as an annual Final Four contender, and if Wabbington ends up choosing the Illini over Indiana, that would sting for a Hoosier program still trying to land its first five-star under DeVries.
Wabbington already made his trip to Bloomington on September 3, when he was on hand for Indiana’s 52-16 win over North Texas on the gridiron. The visit schedule keeps moving after Illinois, too: he’s set to see Arizona on September 25, North Carolina on October 30 and Texas on November 6. Louisville has already been removed from consideration.
According to 247Sports, Wabbington is the No. 12 player and No. 2 center in the 2027 class. For Indiana, that makes him the kind of prospect who can change the shape of a recruiting class in a hurry.
Kiehlneker’s pledge gave the Hoosiers their second commitment in the 2027 cycle, joining 6-foot-4 point guard Chase Branham. But the bigger message from the frontcourt chase is clear: DeVries is treating size and rim protection like a priority, and for good reason.
Indiana’s interior play was a major reason the team missed the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in 10 years. The Hoosiers struggled on the glass, leaned too often on quick shots, and never had the dependable shot-blocking presence they needed in the lane.
DeVries has already tried to address that for 2026-27 by adding 6-foot-11 power forward Aiden Sherrell from Alabama and 7-foot-2 center Samet Yigitoglu from SMU through the transfer portal. Those moves should help right away, but the long-term plan still depends on recruiting players like Wabbington.
That’s why this one still looms so large. Transfers can patch holes.
A high school pipeline can reshape a roster. Landing a talent like Wabbington would be a major step in that direction.
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Richards own profile helps explain why the Hoosiers think this can work. He brings top-end speed, but hes also comfortable in short-yardage situations, which makes him more than just a one-note big-play threat. The real question now is how far that combination can carry Indiana as the competition stiffens, because the early signs suggest the Hoosiers may have found a backfield that can handle different game scripts, even if the next step will be proving it when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]