Indiana University Athletics
‘Push Me’ -- Miller Kopp Embraces Indiana Challenge
9/30/2021 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Forget, for just a second, that Miller Kopp can shoot, that he can do what the Indiana Hoosiers so often consistently couldn't do in recent years, which is punish teams from the perimeter.
Instead, focus on what really brought Kopp to Indiana from Northwestern.
Evolution.
"We recruited him to come here to make shots," IU coach Mike Woodson says. "But I want more. He's got to defend some, too."
Let's just say the 6-7, 220-pound Kopp is all in.
"One of the main things about me coming here was Coach Woody wanted to help me evolve my game," he says.
Defense and rebounding are high on Kopp's Hoosier to-do list. He'll get his first public Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall chance to display that during Saturday's Hoosier Hysteria.
IU began official practice this week after conducting team workouts for the past month or so.
Optimism is high in Woodson's first season, and a big reason is promising new players such as Kopp blending in with talented veterans such as forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson, and guard Rob Phinisee.
Woodson demands a lot. Kopp wouldn't want it any other way.
"He knows I can shoot and help stretch the floor," Kopp says. "That's something I can do. At the same time, there's a lot of untapped potential to my game in terms of defense and rebounding."
How much potential?
Let's take a look.
In 74 games at Northwestern, Kopp shot 39.8 percent from the field, 36.0 from three-point range. He also was an 85.0 percent free throw shooter.
He scored as many as 24 points, grabbed as many as nine rebounds. He averaged 9.6 points and 2.9 rebounds for his Wildcat career.
That's good, but it's not enough, not for Kopp, not for Woodson.
"One of the reasons why I came here was to be pushed to be more than a shooter," Kopp says. "I wanted to be challenged to be better defensively, to be a better rebounder, especially with my size."
Woodson and his staff were happy to challenge.
"Every day in practice," Kopp says, "Coach Woody and all the assistants have been on me about guarding, defending and rebounding."
Woodson built much of his NBA coaching success on defense. That won't change now that he's in college, and Kopp gets a heavy tough-coaching dose.
"He hadn't been used to switching or getting called in mismatches where he has to defend," Woodson says. "He's going to be held accountable because I've always told players, during the course of a game, you're going to guard someone different than the guy you started with. That's just the nature of playing basketball.
"I try to put our players, along with our staff, in the best position possible to be successful defensively, and feel good about it. I keep raving, but I'm happy with our defense. I know we still have a long way to go."
Still, in so many ways, offense rules.
Jump shooting in general, three-point shooting in particular, has to be an Indiana strength. 21st Century basketball demands it.
IU's last Final Four appearance, in 2002, was fueled by strong, often spectacular, three-point shooting. The lack of perimeter scoring against Syracuse's stifling matchup zone ended the top-ranked Hoosiers' 2013 national title hopes in the Sweet Sixteen.
What kind of three-point shooting does Woodson want?
"We are going to have to shoot in the high 30s to low 40s (three-point percentage) to be really effective offensively," he says.
"Miller can make them. All the guys have to be ready to step up and shoot it when they're open."
Kopp has made a big three-point shooting impression on his teammates.
"He can shoot," guard Khristian Lander says. "He can spread the floor. He can help us a lot. Teams will have to respect that we can shoot this year."
Adds forward Jordan Geronimo: "He adds a lot to our team. He can make plays."
Why did Kopp choose Indiana after entering the transfer portal?
"The energy here is big time," he says. "Expectations are high.
"You have Coach Woody here. An all-star staff. Guys like Trayce (Jackson-Davis) coming back (after considering entering the NBA draft).
"There are a lot of expectations. I thrive under pressure and those expectations."
Starting over after three years at Northwestern could have meant a difficult transition. IU's strong team chemistry ensured it wasn't.
"Being the new guy is new to me," Kopp says. "With this team, we've become good friends off the court. On the court, we're working hard and getting better."
The August Bahamas trip (IU got two games, two victories and 10 practices) was an early indication of what better can mean.
"That was huge for us in coming together as teammates and getting closer," Kopp says. "That will lead us to being better on the court."
That's the ultimate goal, to win big and often, to win championships and turn Indiana back into the consistent national title contender it once was.
Shooter, defender or rebounder, Kopp will play a huge role.
"Coach Woody got across to me his vision for me and how I can help this team. That was the biggest thing. It's not about me. It's about him bringing out my best so we can win games."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Forget, for just a second, that Miller Kopp can shoot, that he can do what the Indiana Hoosiers so often consistently couldn't do in recent years, which is punish teams from the perimeter.
Instead, focus on what really brought Kopp to Indiana from Northwestern.
Evolution.
"We recruited him to come here to make shots," IU coach Mike Woodson says. "But I want more. He's got to defend some, too."
Let's just say the 6-7, 220-pound Kopp is all in.
"One of the main things about me coming here was Coach Woody wanted to help me evolve my game," he says.
Defense and rebounding are high on Kopp's Hoosier to-do list. He'll get his first public Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall chance to display that during Saturday's Hoosier Hysteria.
IU began official practice this week after conducting team workouts for the past month or so.
Optimism is high in Woodson's first season, and a big reason is promising new players such as Kopp blending in with talented veterans such as forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson, and guard Rob Phinisee.
Woodson demands a lot. Kopp wouldn't want it any other way.
"He knows I can shoot and help stretch the floor," Kopp says. "That's something I can do. At the same time, there's a lot of untapped potential to my game in terms of defense and rebounding."
How much potential?
Let's take a look.
In 74 games at Northwestern, Kopp shot 39.8 percent from the field, 36.0 from three-point range. He also was an 85.0 percent free throw shooter.
He scored as many as 24 points, grabbed as many as nine rebounds. He averaged 9.6 points and 2.9 rebounds for his Wildcat career.
That's good, but it's not enough, not for Kopp, not for Woodson.
"One of the reasons why I came here was to be pushed to be more than a shooter," Kopp says. "I wanted to be challenged to be better defensively, to be a better rebounder, especially with my size."
Woodson and his staff were happy to challenge.
"Every day in practice," Kopp says, "Coach Woody and all the assistants have been on me about guarding, defending and rebounding."
Woodson built much of his NBA coaching success on defense. That won't change now that he's in college, and Kopp gets a heavy tough-coaching dose.
"He hadn't been used to switching or getting called in mismatches where he has to defend," Woodson says. "He's going to be held accountable because I've always told players, during the course of a game, you're going to guard someone different than the guy you started with. That's just the nature of playing basketball.
"I try to put our players, along with our staff, in the best position possible to be successful defensively, and feel good about it. I keep raving, but I'm happy with our defense. I know we still have a long way to go."
Still, in so many ways, offense rules.
Jump shooting in general, three-point shooting in particular, has to be an Indiana strength. 21st Century basketball demands it.
IU's last Final Four appearance, in 2002, was fueled by strong, often spectacular, three-point shooting. The lack of perimeter scoring against Syracuse's stifling matchup zone ended the top-ranked Hoosiers' 2013 national title hopes in the Sweet Sixteen.
What kind of three-point shooting does Woodson want?
"We are going to have to shoot in the high 30s to low 40s (three-point percentage) to be really effective offensively," he says.
"Miller can make them. All the guys have to be ready to step up and shoot it when they're open."
Kopp has made a big three-point shooting impression on his teammates.
"He can shoot," guard Khristian Lander says. "He can spread the floor. He can help us a lot. Teams will have to respect that we can shoot this year."
Adds forward Jordan Geronimo: "He adds a lot to our team. He can make plays."
Why did Kopp choose Indiana after entering the transfer portal?
"The energy here is big time," he says. "Expectations are high.
"You have Coach Woody here. An all-star staff. Guys like Trayce (Jackson-Davis) coming back (after considering entering the NBA draft).
"There are a lot of expectations. I thrive under pressure and those expectations."
Starting over after three years at Northwestern could have meant a difficult transition. IU's strong team chemistry ensured it wasn't.
"Being the new guy is new to me," Kopp says. "With this team, we've become good friends off the court. On the court, we're working hard and getting better."
The August Bahamas trip (IU got two games, two victories and 10 practices) was an early indication of what better can mean.
"That was huge for us in coming together as teammates and getting closer," Kopp says. "That will lead us to being better on the court."
That's the ultimate goal, to win big and often, to win championships and turn Indiana back into the consistent national title contender it once was.
Shooter, defender or rebounder, Kopp will play a huge role.
"Coach Woody got across to me his vision for me and how I can help this team. That was the biggest thing. It's not about me. It's about him bringing out my best so we can win games."
Players Mentioned
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