Indiana University Athletics
Tradition, Crean Brought Transfers to Indiana
9/20/2015 10:25:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Max Bielfeldt couldn't make it two sentences without mentioning it. Josh Newkirk made it nine words without having it slip out.
"Tradition."
Bielfeldt, a fifth-year senior transfer forward from Michigan, and Newkirk, a sophomore guard transfer from Pittsburgh, both reference Indiana's prestige in their introductory press conference Thursday at Assembly Hall.
The essence and history of Indiana basketball resonated with both newly-added Hoosiers. It played a major factor in bringing each of them to Bloomington to finish their playing careers under head coach Tom Crean.
"You get chills coming into this arena," Newkirk said.
Both Newkirk and Bielfeldt have felt the energy of an Indiana crowd before, but in an entirely different way than they'll come to expect this winter. Each traveled to Assembly Hall to play Indiana with their former teams last season.
Bielfeldt, who's getting a master's degree from the Kelley School of Business, said he still remembers the electricity and the noise from 2013 when his then-No. 1 Wolverines fell to the No. 3 Hoosiers in front of a capacity crowd. He's looking forward to being on the other end of that electricity in 2015-16.
"That was probably, if not the loudest, one of the loudest places I've ever played," Bielfeldt said. "The passion this state has for Indiana basketball is unbelievable. It was always exciting to come here. We knew we'd get a really good game."
Though they're still adjusting together, the two newest Hoosiers will have different roles this season.
Bielfeldt will look to bring proven experience to Indiana's frontcourt after four seasons with Michigan that included a Final Four run in 2013 and being named Michigan's Sixth Man of the Year last season.
He'll look to provide equal parts on-court production and leadership in his first and only season at Indiana.
"Coach Crean and I have talked and he's said to come in here and don't have any hesitations," Bielfeldt said. "I'm only here for a year, so I really don't have time to be feeling things out for months, or start figuring things out in January and then start being a leader. Just come in right away and share my experience, share that positive attitude on what we can do as a team to be successful."
Newkirk is less proven than Bielfeldt but has more time to develop a similar role at guard.
He moved to Bloomington the Sunday before classes started and got to work recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee. He said he expects to start jogging again soon and is well on the road to being ready to play in 2016-17 with two years of eligibility remaining.
He was going to need to redshirt the upcoming season in compliance with NCAA transfer rules anyway, allowing him a full year to recover and get acquainted with Indiana's system.
"I think for me, not being able to compete in games this year, I think for me (my role) is making practice competitive," Newkirk said. "Just bringing the extra energy to practice. Always bringing the energy. Being a leader, and making practice competitive is my biggest thing."
Newkirk and Bielfeldt both lauded Crean's system, describing it as a "fun" team to play on.
Crean's reputation for player development also played role in recruiting both players. He already has a proven track record in sending players to the NBA who weren't always highly touted prospects upon arriving in Bloomington.
"Coach Crean has a lot of guys that weren't highly ranked out of high school and he developed them into great players," Newkirk said. "That kind of caught my eye in choosing to come to Indiana."
The other thing that keeps catching Newkirk's eye is the subtle reminder of all the things Indiana basketball has accomplished.
Everywhere the players walk, there's reminders of the Hoosiers that came before them and the work that they put in. Now, Newkirk and Bielfeldt are trying to build on the legacy laid before them.
"Tradition is one of the huge things here. Because of that tradition, there's a very high expectation on the basketball program," Bielfeldt said. "There's kind of that expectation for a national championship every year."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Max Bielfeldt couldn't make it two sentences without mentioning it. Josh Newkirk made it nine words without having it slip out.
"Tradition."
Bielfeldt, a fifth-year senior transfer forward from Michigan, and Newkirk, a sophomore guard transfer from Pittsburgh, both reference Indiana's prestige in their introductory press conference Thursday at Assembly Hall.
The essence and history of Indiana basketball resonated with both newly-added Hoosiers. It played a major factor in bringing each of them to Bloomington to finish their playing careers under head coach Tom Crean.
"You get chills coming into this arena," Newkirk said.
Both Newkirk and Bielfeldt have felt the energy of an Indiana crowd before, but in an entirely different way than they'll come to expect this winter. Each traveled to Assembly Hall to play Indiana with their former teams last season.
Bielfeldt, who's getting a master's degree from the Kelley School of Business, said he still remembers the electricity and the noise from 2013 when his then-No. 1 Wolverines fell to the No. 3 Hoosiers in front of a capacity crowd. He's looking forward to being on the other end of that electricity in 2015-16.
"That was probably, if not the loudest, one of the loudest places I've ever played," Bielfeldt said. "The passion this state has for Indiana basketball is unbelievable. It was always exciting to come here. We knew we'd get a really good game."
Though they're still adjusting together, the two newest Hoosiers will have different roles this season.
Bielfeldt will look to bring proven experience to Indiana's frontcourt after four seasons with Michigan that included a Final Four run in 2013 and being named Michigan's Sixth Man of the Year last season.
He'll look to provide equal parts on-court production and leadership in his first and only season at Indiana.
"Coach Crean and I have talked and he's said to come in here and don't have any hesitations," Bielfeldt said. "I'm only here for a year, so I really don't have time to be feeling things out for months, or start figuring things out in January and then start being a leader. Just come in right away and share my experience, share that positive attitude on what we can do as a team to be successful."
Newkirk is less proven than Bielfeldt but has more time to develop a similar role at guard.
He moved to Bloomington the Sunday before classes started and got to work recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee. He said he expects to start jogging again soon and is well on the road to being ready to play in 2016-17 with two years of eligibility remaining.
He was going to need to redshirt the upcoming season in compliance with NCAA transfer rules anyway, allowing him a full year to recover and get acquainted with Indiana's system.
"I think for me, not being able to compete in games this year, I think for me (my role) is making practice competitive," Newkirk said. "Just bringing the extra energy to practice. Always bringing the energy. Being a leader, and making practice competitive is my biggest thing."
Newkirk and Bielfeldt both lauded Crean's system, describing it as a "fun" team to play on.
Crean's reputation for player development also played role in recruiting both players. He already has a proven track record in sending players to the NBA who weren't always highly touted prospects upon arriving in Bloomington.
"Coach Crean has a lot of guys that weren't highly ranked out of high school and he developed them into great players," Newkirk said. "That kind of caught my eye in choosing to come to Indiana."
The other thing that keeps catching Newkirk's eye is the subtle reminder of all the things Indiana basketball has accomplished.
Everywhere the players walk, there's reminders of the Hoosiers that came before them and the work that they put in. Now, Newkirk and Bielfeldt are trying to build on the legacy laid before them.
"Tradition is one of the huge things here. Because of that tradition, there's a very high expectation on the basketball program," Bielfeldt said. "There's kind of that expectation for a national championship every year."
Players Mentioned
Forward
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