Indiana University Athletics
Full Throttle -- Jordan Hulls Attacks New Role
7/5/2022 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – What do you do when the cheering stops?
It always stops, of course, whether you're Isiah Thomas or Calbert Cheaney, just as it has, at last, for Jordan Hulls.
Or has it?
For now, this much we know -- Hulls the 32-year-old basketball player is gone; Hulls the Indiana University basketball team and recruiting coordinator is very much in play, and it almost certainly will lead to coaching opportunities, just as it did for such former Cream 'n Crimson standouts as Steve Alford, Keith Smart, Randy Wittman and, yes, Mike Woodson.
First, though, there are Cream 'n Crimson games to win.
"This is a great phase for me and my family," Hulls says. "We're super excited about it. I'm going to attack it just like I did when I went on the court. Do the best that I can, as hard as I can, and things tend to work out."
Life and time conspire to take athletic skill, but that didn't happen to Hulls. He recently left a European pro career on his terms, while he could still thrive at a high level, and if it wasn't the NBA, don't sweat the small stuff.
Hulls sure isn't.
"I always knew getting into this was my future. I've talked to a few people and they tell me to embrace and dive into the work. Trust your decision and all that you do, and be excited for the next opportunity."
And so, he is.
*****
Hulls was a good, but not a great athlete who honed dedication, work and family basketball DNA to become one of the top shooters in state high school and IU history.
The guy did, after all, score 1,318 Hoosier points, and shoot 44.1% from 3-point range (fourth in school history) and 85.9% from the line (third at IU). He set the Big Ten record with 58-straight made free throws. He averaged as many as 11.7 points, 49.3% 3-point shooting and 91.3% from the line. He did all that while earning academic All-America honors and the Hoosiers' Big Ten sportsmanship award.
Now he gets to help the Hoosiers regain their title-winning glory, not with the quality of his on-court play, but through the excellence of his recruiting efforts such as scouting, calling recruits, managing visits and whatever else needs to be done.
"I'm just trying to be the best at my position that I can, help these guys the best that I can."
Nine years of professional basketball, which followed four inspiring years at Indiana (highlighted by a 2011 victory over No. 1 Kentucky, a No. 1 ranking for much of the 2012-13 season, and an outright Big Ten title for the first time in 20 years), which followed four memorable years at Bloomington High School South that culminated with a 26-0 state title and Mr. Basketball honors, which followed years of youth and travel ball success.
It all led to this new IU opportunity.
As Woodson said in an earlier press release, "Anyone you talk to who has spent any amount of time with (Hulls) has the utmost respect for him. With his experiences, I believe he can be a tremendous asset to our players and staff."
Hulls will help find and refine players to fit Woodson's system, which is basically the NBA's system, which is where every Hoosier hopes to go, realistic or not.
Oh, and help win championships.
"It's taking from my experiences playing here," Hulls says, "and also my nine-year pro career, and trying to relate that the best way I can to these kids. Get to know them and how I can help them."
*****
Hulls' first Hoosier memories including coming to Hoosier Hysteria, which was made extra special because it started at midnight to accommodate NCAA rules.
"It was special to stay up late and watch the first practice of the year," he says. "Those are for sure my earliest memories and also watching (former IU standout A.J. Guyton) and that crew play in my grandpa's basement on the big screen TV."
Hulls experienced extreme highs and lows during his four IU seasons.
It came under then coach Tom Crean, tasked with rebuilding the program after sanctions for NCAA violations committed under former coach Kelvin Sampson.
The Hoosiers were a combined 22-41 in Hulls' first two seasons before turning it around with consecutive Sweet 16 berths and a 56-16 record in his last two years.
It was a special time Hulls believes the current Hoosiers can duplicate.
"Being born in Bloomington, watching Indiana basketball my whole life and playing here, it's instilling (in our players) that this place, when it gets going, there's really no place you'd rather be playing.
"I'm just trying to instill that. The hard work and things that it takes to be a really good team.
"My first few years were not so great, but I learned a lot from those two difficult years. That led us to two Sweet 16s."
*****
Hulls didn't expect this Cream 'n Crimson opportunity, not this soon, anyway.
"I've always been a gym rat. I've always been in the gym working on my game."
He'd spent the past six seasons playing in Germany following stops in Poland, Belgium and Kosovo, where he helped his Sigal Prishtina team win Balkan League and Kosovo League titles. He was named Balkan League Import Player of the Year.
He totaled more than 500 assists and more than 400 three-pointers during his six-year German Basketball League run.
He says he figured to play two to three more years.
Then came a Cream 'n Crimson offer he couldn't refuse.
"I was still playing at a high level, in a good league, good competition, one of the highest in Europe," he says.
"If I was going to give it up, it would have to be for a situation to come back home. After doing my research and talking to the coaches and other people to figure out if this was really something I want to get into, it was something I just couldn't pass up. It's an opportunity to learn from some really, really good coaches, guys who have been at the NBA level, college level for a long time."
It was also a chance for him and his wife, Aubrey, sons Jackson and Leo, and daughter Margaret Louise to return home.
That matters because Hulls is, above all else, a family man.
"My kids get to see their grandparents more and cousins. That came full circle for us. We are not getting any younger. My kids are getting older. That played a big part as well."
Hulls' returning to Bloomington was a big hit for his family, which has deep area ties. His grandfather, John, was once an assistant IU coach under Bob Knight. His sister, Kaila, played for the Hoosiers. His father, JC, is a long-time youth coach and mentor.
"They were pretty over the moon about it," Hulls says. "It's special for us as a family."
*****
Player evaluation is a huge part of Hulls' new recruiting role.
"You can see how (prospects) control the game or their fundamentals, and if they are not turning the ball over. If they are good teammates. Those kinds of things go a long way.
"You can just tell with some people that they just got it, whether or not they are super athletes."
You need more than that. Hulls was a prime example.
"It's paying attention to the details. Those are things that really helped me (as a player), staying the course and knowing that I was doing the right things.
"There are so many different kids in the country. It's knowing that you've got to work. That's what worked for me and it's still a good recipe for kids today. Learning more about the kids and how they work is something that I'll be looking forward to."
Recruiting has changed since Hulls went through it 14 years ago (ranked as high as No. 80 nationally, he picked Indiana over Purdue), and not just because there's the Name Image License opportunity that enables players to make money well beyond scholarships.
"There are a lot of rules that have changed, a lot of things you can or cannot do," he says. "My recruiting process was fairly short once I got the offer from Indiana. I maybe waited two more weeks and then I decided to commit.
"You can see the things that need to be done as far as staying in contact with (prospects) and trying to research and learn everything about them that you can so you can build that relationship.
"Whether it's business or recruiting, relationships are everything. That's how I'm treating that here."
Nine years in Europe helped Hulls build plenty of relationships that could generate recruiting advantages.
"It's always a possibility. I see it happening more and more. I've played in four different countries, but made connections all over Europe.
"There's talent all over the world. We want to get the best players possible who are going to help us win. If that happens to be from Europe and it's through a connection that I was able to make, that would be pretty cool."
As far as his first recruiting weekend, when he got to see players in person for the first time, he says, "It's great to get out on the road and see these kids play in person. It's different than watching them on a computer. It's a lot better to see them in person, see them interact with their teammates and the little details they do when they run off the court.
"I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I take notes on whatever I can and whatever I see that I think can help me not only to be the best that I can in my role, but also help these kids in the future."
Hulls has seen firsthand what works at high school, college and pro levels. One thing quickly stands out in his early recruiting stages is that, "These (high school) guys seem a lot more athletic than those I remember playing against.
"For me, it's applying those pro philosophies that I've learned and pick out certain things or characteristics that guys have. That's the fun part, diving in and seeing the players that have the intangibles to help us succeed. It's very exciting to watch good basketball, watch good players and try to get those guys."
The current Hoosiers are generating plenty of early optimism. A key summer priority is improved shooting. Hulls is part of that, which includes working with fellow Bloomington South alum Anthony Leal.
"Shooting is an area that we like to keep working on and improving," he says. "Everybody every summer is going to try and do that.
"For me, it's to be a mentor and try and relate to these guys and help them in any way I can.
"A guy like Anthony who I have known for a long time, it's cool to see how hard he's working. I'm doing what I'm able to do as far as giving him the confidence to shoot when he's open."
It's the same with the other Hoosiers. He works to "get their shot prep in line. Hopefully those things that can carry over to the court."
If they do, IU could regain the national acclaim it hasn't seen since Hulls played.
Imagine the cheers.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – What do you do when the cheering stops?
It always stops, of course, whether you're Isiah Thomas or Calbert Cheaney, just as it has, at last, for Jordan Hulls.
Or has it?
For now, this much we know -- Hulls the 32-year-old basketball player is gone; Hulls the Indiana University basketball team and recruiting coordinator is very much in play, and it almost certainly will lead to coaching opportunities, just as it did for such former Cream 'n Crimson standouts as Steve Alford, Keith Smart, Randy Wittman and, yes, Mike Woodson.
First, though, there are Cream 'n Crimson games to win.
"This is a great phase for me and my family," Hulls says. "We're super excited about it. I'm going to attack it just like I did when I went on the court. Do the best that I can, as hard as I can, and things tend to work out."
Life and time conspire to take athletic skill, but that didn't happen to Hulls. He recently left a European pro career on his terms, while he could still thrive at a high level, and if it wasn't the NBA, don't sweat the small stuff.
Hulls sure isn't.
"I always knew getting into this was my future. I've talked to a few people and they tell me to embrace and dive into the work. Trust your decision and all that you do, and be excited for the next opportunity."
And so, he is.
*****
Hulls was a good, but not a great athlete who honed dedication, work and family basketball DNA to become one of the top shooters in state high school and IU history.
The guy did, after all, score 1,318 Hoosier points, and shoot 44.1% from 3-point range (fourth in school history) and 85.9% from the line (third at IU). He set the Big Ten record with 58-straight made free throws. He averaged as many as 11.7 points, 49.3% 3-point shooting and 91.3% from the line. He did all that while earning academic All-America honors and the Hoosiers' Big Ten sportsmanship award.
Now he gets to help the Hoosiers regain their title-winning glory, not with the quality of his on-court play, but through the excellence of his recruiting efforts such as scouting, calling recruits, managing visits and whatever else needs to be done.
"I'm just trying to be the best at my position that I can, help these guys the best that I can."
Nine years of professional basketball, which followed four inspiring years at Indiana (highlighted by a 2011 victory over No. 1 Kentucky, a No. 1 ranking for much of the 2012-13 season, and an outright Big Ten title for the first time in 20 years), which followed four memorable years at Bloomington High School South that culminated with a 26-0 state title and Mr. Basketball honors, which followed years of youth and travel ball success.
It all led to this new IU opportunity.
As Woodson said in an earlier press release, "Anyone you talk to who has spent any amount of time with (Hulls) has the utmost respect for him. With his experiences, I believe he can be a tremendous asset to our players and staff."
Hulls will help find and refine players to fit Woodson's system, which is basically the NBA's system, which is where every Hoosier hopes to go, realistic or not.
Oh, and help win championships.
"It's taking from my experiences playing here," Hulls says, "and also my nine-year pro career, and trying to relate that the best way I can to these kids. Get to know them and how I can help them."
*****
Hulls' first Hoosier memories including coming to Hoosier Hysteria, which was made extra special because it started at midnight to accommodate NCAA rules.
"It was special to stay up late and watch the first practice of the year," he says. "Those are for sure my earliest memories and also watching (former IU standout A.J. Guyton) and that crew play in my grandpa's basement on the big screen TV."
Hulls experienced extreme highs and lows during his four IU seasons.
It came under then coach Tom Crean, tasked with rebuilding the program after sanctions for NCAA violations committed under former coach Kelvin Sampson.
The Hoosiers were a combined 22-41 in Hulls' first two seasons before turning it around with consecutive Sweet 16 berths and a 56-16 record in his last two years.
It was a special time Hulls believes the current Hoosiers can duplicate.
"Being born in Bloomington, watching Indiana basketball my whole life and playing here, it's instilling (in our players) that this place, when it gets going, there's really no place you'd rather be playing.
"I'm just trying to instill that. The hard work and things that it takes to be a really good team.
"My first few years were not so great, but I learned a lot from those two difficult years. That led us to two Sweet 16s."
*****
Hulls didn't expect this Cream 'n Crimson opportunity, not this soon, anyway.
"I've always been a gym rat. I've always been in the gym working on my game."
He'd spent the past six seasons playing in Germany following stops in Poland, Belgium and Kosovo, where he helped his Sigal Prishtina team win Balkan League and Kosovo League titles. He was named Balkan League Import Player of the Year.
He totaled more than 500 assists and more than 400 three-pointers during his six-year German Basketball League run.
He says he figured to play two to three more years.
Then came a Cream 'n Crimson offer he couldn't refuse.
"I was still playing at a high level, in a good league, good competition, one of the highest in Europe," he says.
"If I was going to give it up, it would have to be for a situation to come back home. After doing my research and talking to the coaches and other people to figure out if this was really something I want to get into, it was something I just couldn't pass up. It's an opportunity to learn from some really, really good coaches, guys who have been at the NBA level, college level for a long time."
It was also a chance for him and his wife, Aubrey, sons Jackson and Leo, and daughter Margaret Louise to return home.
That matters because Hulls is, above all else, a family man.
"My kids get to see their grandparents more and cousins. That came full circle for us. We are not getting any younger. My kids are getting older. That played a big part as well."
Hulls' returning to Bloomington was a big hit for his family, which has deep area ties. His grandfather, John, was once an assistant IU coach under Bob Knight. His sister, Kaila, played for the Hoosiers. His father, JC, is a long-time youth coach and mentor.
"They were pretty over the moon about it," Hulls says. "It's special for us as a family."
*****
Player evaluation is a huge part of Hulls' new recruiting role.
"You can see how (prospects) control the game or their fundamentals, and if they are not turning the ball over. If they are good teammates. Those kinds of things go a long way.
"You can just tell with some people that they just got it, whether or not they are super athletes."
You need more than that. Hulls was a prime example.
"It's paying attention to the details. Those are things that really helped me (as a player), staying the course and knowing that I was doing the right things.
"There are so many different kids in the country. It's knowing that you've got to work. That's what worked for me and it's still a good recipe for kids today. Learning more about the kids and how they work is something that I'll be looking forward to."
Recruiting has changed since Hulls went through it 14 years ago (ranked as high as No. 80 nationally, he picked Indiana over Purdue), and not just because there's the Name Image License opportunity that enables players to make money well beyond scholarships.
"There are a lot of rules that have changed, a lot of things you can or cannot do," he says. "My recruiting process was fairly short once I got the offer from Indiana. I maybe waited two more weeks and then I decided to commit.
"You can see the things that need to be done as far as staying in contact with (prospects) and trying to research and learn everything about them that you can so you can build that relationship.
"Whether it's business or recruiting, relationships are everything. That's how I'm treating that here."
Nine years in Europe helped Hulls build plenty of relationships that could generate recruiting advantages.
"It's always a possibility. I see it happening more and more. I've played in four different countries, but made connections all over Europe.
"There's talent all over the world. We want to get the best players possible who are going to help us win. If that happens to be from Europe and it's through a connection that I was able to make, that would be pretty cool."
As far as his first recruiting weekend, when he got to see players in person for the first time, he says, "It's great to get out on the road and see these kids play in person. It's different than watching them on a computer. It's a lot better to see them in person, see them interact with their teammates and the little details they do when they run off the court.
"I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I take notes on whatever I can and whatever I see that I think can help me not only to be the best that I can in my role, but also help these kids in the future."
Hulls has seen firsthand what works at high school, college and pro levels. One thing quickly stands out in his early recruiting stages is that, "These (high school) guys seem a lot more athletic than those I remember playing against.
"For me, it's applying those pro philosophies that I've learned and pick out certain things or characteristics that guys have. That's the fun part, diving in and seeing the players that have the intangibles to help us succeed. It's very exciting to watch good basketball, watch good players and try to get those guys."
The current Hoosiers are generating plenty of early optimism. A key summer priority is improved shooting. Hulls is part of that, which includes working with fellow Bloomington South alum Anthony Leal.
"Shooting is an area that we like to keep working on and improving," he says. "Everybody every summer is going to try and do that.
"For me, it's to be a mentor and try and relate to these guys and help them in any way I can.
"A guy like Anthony who I have known for a long time, it's cool to see how hard he's working. I'm doing what I'm able to do as far as giving him the confidence to shoot when he's open."
It's the same with the other Hoosiers. He works to "get their shot prep in line. Hopefully those things that can carry over to the court."
If they do, IU could regain the national acclaim it hasn't seen since Hulls played.
Imagine the cheers.
Players Mentioned
Guard
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