Indiana University Athletics
Embrace the Possibilities - Devonte Green has 'Great Opportunity'
10/27/2018 12:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For Devonte Green, it's mind over matter. It's picking the right play over the spectacular one, keeping it simple when complicated is so appealing.
In other words, it's fighting youthful nature for the bigger picture.
If Indiana's junior guard does that – and October signs are positive – the Hoosiers could really rock the Big Ten basketball world this season.
Green can be a backcourt difference-maker in an era when great guard play is crucial. His first two seasons showed flashes. Now, in coach Archie Miller's second year, all things are possible.
"He's got a great opportunity to have a great role on this team," Miller says. "He's just got to embrace what we're asking him to do."
Green embraced in limited doses last season, and when he did, the Hoosiers were a basketball force. His big February saw him average 8.6 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 50 percent from three-point range.
He scored a career-high 20 points with four three-pointers at Ohio State. Against Minnesota he had 19 points and seven assists while making four three-pointers. He had 18 points and six assists at Iowa.
The result -- Green went from averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 assists as a freshman to 7.6 points as a sophomore. He totaled 76 assists, third-most on the team.
"When he played well last year," Miller says, "our team was a lot different. We had some really good wins and some really good performances. When he didn't play well, we really struggled."
Green's up-and-down performance reflected an aggressive nature that needed maturity. That hot February suggested what was possible.
"I don't think it was one big moment," Green says. "I think it was a bunch of moments."
Miller expected struggles as Green -- and all the Hoosiers -- transitioned from former coach Tom Crean's style.
"Devonte, like a lot of guys when they go through their first year with change, it ebbs and flows when things are going well, and when they aren't," Miller says.
"When that happens, you question things. You question coaching. You question am I at the right place. You question the style of play. You start to question everything, and you're not as easy to just dive in and embrace.
"The one thing he came to grips with at the end of the season was 'I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do here, and let's see how that works.' "
It worked in the spring, and then through the summer and then in fall conditioning sessions.
"He embraced the challenge," Miller says, "and got better."
The key question is whether Green's improvement will translate to game performance.
"As a junior, you'd hope he would be the guy who could really see the light at the end of the tunnel," Miller says.
To keep seeing that light, Green says, is "More mental than anything. It's talking. Little things that show leadership; controlling the pace of my game."
Teammates have seen that pace, and like it.
"Devonte has become more under control," forward Juwan Morgan says. "He's not making home-run plays, but making more singles than he has before."
Credit an off-season of work Miller describes as consistent as that of any Hoosier.
"I'm seeing the results, Green says. "I've been working and trying to improve my game. I think that work shows."
Work has never been a problem for Green, whose older brother Danny starred at North Carolina and later earned a NBA title at San Antonio. The younger Green arrived at IU after a standout high school career in Long Island that culminated as a New York Mr. Basketball finalist. He was good enough to play high school varsity ball as a seventh and eighth grader.
Green had big moments as an Indiana freshman, bigger as a sophomore. This season the over-riding goal is more team than individual -- get Indiana back to NCAA tourney relevance. With a pair of preseason All-Big Ten players in senior Juwan Morgan and freshman Romeo Langford, the Hoosiers could buck preseason polls that rate them behind Michigan State, Michigan and Purdue in the Big Ten.
IU finished 16-15 last season to miss out on postseason opportunity, but could have won at least four more games.
"We came down to so many games in the last four minutes," Miller says, "and that's usually when it comes down to winning time. I always say, if you've got great guards in the last four minutes, you trust those guys to make the plays.
"We didn't have that a year ago in terms of making crucial stops or not have a crucial turnover or make the correct read. Sometimes it goes unnoticed, but you could take two to three losses off if you just did a better job of finishing games.
"Devonte could be a big reason why we do that if he's locked in and consistent."
Green's challenge includes helping talented freshman point guard Rob Phinisee, who is also expected to have a big impact.
"Rob has got to learn the ropes, just like every other guy does," Miller says. "They're different players, but one thing Rob can take from Devonte is the pick-and-roll game.
"When Devonte is playing his best, he's the one guy on our team who can really deliver an assist-type pass, get an easy bucket whether that's the pick-and-roll bounce pass or just making the proper read. Devonte has a good feel when he's playing the right way on how to attack off those ball screens and making people better."
If playing the right way becomes the only way, look out -- for Green and the Hoosiers.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For Devonte Green, it's mind over matter. It's picking the right play over the spectacular one, keeping it simple when complicated is so appealing.
In other words, it's fighting youthful nature for the bigger picture.
If Indiana's junior guard does that – and October signs are positive – the Hoosiers could really rock the Big Ten basketball world this season.
Green can be a backcourt difference-maker in an era when great guard play is crucial. His first two seasons showed flashes. Now, in coach Archie Miller's second year, all things are possible.
"He's got a great opportunity to have a great role on this team," Miller says. "He's just got to embrace what we're asking him to do."
Green embraced in limited doses last season, and when he did, the Hoosiers were a basketball force. His big February saw him average 8.6 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 50 percent from three-point range.
He scored a career-high 20 points with four three-pointers at Ohio State. Against Minnesota he had 19 points and seven assists while making four three-pointers. He had 18 points and six assists at Iowa.
The result -- Green went from averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 assists as a freshman to 7.6 points as a sophomore. He totaled 76 assists, third-most on the team.
"When he played well last year," Miller says, "our team was a lot different. We had some really good wins and some really good performances. When he didn't play well, we really struggled."
Green's up-and-down performance reflected an aggressive nature that needed maturity. That hot February suggested what was possible.
"I don't think it was one big moment," Green says. "I think it was a bunch of moments."
Miller expected struggles as Green -- and all the Hoosiers -- transitioned from former coach Tom Crean's style.
"Devonte, like a lot of guys when they go through their first year with change, it ebbs and flows when things are going well, and when they aren't," Miller says.
"When that happens, you question things. You question coaching. You question am I at the right place. You question the style of play. You start to question everything, and you're not as easy to just dive in and embrace.
"The one thing he came to grips with at the end of the season was 'I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do here, and let's see how that works.' "
It worked in the spring, and then through the summer and then in fall conditioning sessions.
"He embraced the challenge," Miller says, "and got better."
The key question is whether Green's improvement will translate to game performance.
"As a junior, you'd hope he would be the guy who could really see the light at the end of the tunnel," Miller says.
To keep seeing that light, Green says, is "More mental than anything. It's talking. Little things that show leadership; controlling the pace of my game."
Teammates have seen that pace, and like it.
"Devonte has become more under control," forward Juwan Morgan says. "He's not making home-run plays, but making more singles than he has before."
Credit an off-season of work Miller describes as consistent as that of any Hoosier.
"I'm seeing the results, Green says. "I've been working and trying to improve my game. I think that work shows."
Work has never been a problem for Green, whose older brother Danny starred at North Carolina and later earned a NBA title at San Antonio. The younger Green arrived at IU after a standout high school career in Long Island that culminated as a New York Mr. Basketball finalist. He was good enough to play high school varsity ball as a seventh and eighth grader.
Green had big moments as an Indiana freshman, bigger as a sophomore. This season the over-riding goal is more team than individual -- get Indiana back to NCAA tourney relevance. With a pair of preseason All-Big Ten players in senior Juwan Morgan and freshman Romeo Langford, the Hoosiers could buck preseason polls that rate them behind Michigan State, Michigan and Purdue in the Big Ten.
IU finished 16-15 last season to miss out on postseason opportunity, but could have won at least four more games.
"We came down to so many games in the last four minutes," Miller says, "and that's usually when it comes down to winning time. I always say, if you've got great guards in the last four minutes, you trust those guys to make the plays.
"We didn't have that a year ago in terms of making crucial stops or not have a crucial turnover or make the correct read. Sometimes it goes unnoticed, but you could take two to three losses off if you just did a better job of finishing games.
"Devonte could be a big reason why we do that if he's locked in and consistent."
Green's challenge includes helping talented freshman point guard Rob Phinisee, who is also expected to have a big impact.
"Rob has got to learn the ropes, just like every other guy does," Miller says. "They're different players, but one thing Rob can take from Devonte is the pick-and-roll game.
"When Devonte is playing his best, he's the one guy on our team who can really deliver an assist-type pass, get an easy bucket whether that's the pick-and-roll bounce pass or just making the proper read. Devonte has a good feel when he's playing the right way on how to attack off those ball screens and making people better."
If playing the right way becomes the only way, look out -- for Green and the Hoosiers.
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