Lamar Wilkerson is the complete package for Indiana — buckets, vibes and all

When Lamar Wilkerson steps into Cook Hall, the temperature rises.

Not from heat, but from energy vibrant, contagious, relentless energy.The 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard from Ashdown, Arkansas is more than just a high-level transfer addition for Indiana head coach Darian DeVries.

Hes a force, an engine, a culture shock.

Call him what you want, but one thing is clear: Wilkerson is the complete and total package for the Hoosiers.Offense? Check.

Leadership? Check.

Vibes? Overflowing.

Defense? Improving and vocal.In a summer filled with transfer buzz, Wilkerson arrived in Bloomington rated as the No.

34 overall player in the portal.

But numbers only tell part of the story.

Indiana didnt just land a shooter.

It landed a shot-maker, a shot-taker and, just as importantly, a shot of adrenaline.Offensively, I feel like my accolades speak for themself, Wilkerson said last week following Indianas open practice.

I can shoot the ball, I can space the floor, I bring a lot of gravity.

It allows my teammates to do what they do best get downhill and playmake.TRENDING: Tyrique Tucker emerging as key piece on Indianas retooled defensive frontHes not exaggerating.

Wilkerson averaged 20.5 points per game last season at Sam Houston State and torched nets across the country, hitting 109 threes seventh-most in the nation at a blistering 44.5% clip.

That percentage ranked seventh in Division I.

Simply put: If Wilkerson has daylight, the scoreboard is in danger.Yet hes far from a one-dimensional sniper.

Wilkerson converted 50% of his two-point attempts and sank 82.5% of his free throws.

Hes a three-level scorer who demands attention the moment he crosses half court the kind of player whose presence alone opens the floor for everyone else.

In DeVries reimagined offense, where spacing and tempo will be paramount, Wilkerson figures to be both a centerpiece and a catalyst.Hes one of those guys that can be a game-changer in terms of his ability to really score the basketball, DeVries said.

I just like all the other things that hes brought.

You can see on film his shot-making, but all the other intangible things hes brought have been really good for our team.Indeed, the intangibles the energy, the voice, the joy are what make Wilkerson more than just a transfer.

They make him indispensable.Wilkerson describes himself as an alpha, though he wont break down what exactly makes him one.

Its a little biased coming from me, he grinned.But watch him for five minutes in practice or pregame warmups and its obvious.

Wilkerson is the spark plug the guy dancing in the layup line, clapping after drills and checking in with teammates.

Its not performative.

Its just who he is.Thats just how Ive always been.

Ive always been a people person, Wilkerson said.

I just love the game of basketball.

This isnt work to me, this is like taking a kid to a park.

Thats how I feel.

I come out here and Im always energetic.

Im always trying to make everyone laugh.That levity isnt just welcomed in a locker room undergoing a lot of change its needed.

With a new coaching staff, new schemes and a roster full of transfers, someone has to set the tone.

Wilkerson, at 23, is embracing that role with pride.What do I bring to this team as a 23-year-old? Experience, Wilkerson said.

I bring a lot of college experience and I bring a lot of energy.Even fellow energy-guy Sam Alexis admits that Wilkerson is one of the few people who can match his enthusiasm.

His teammates feel it.

His coaches feel it.I love Lamar, DeVries said.

Lamar comes with great energy, brings a smile on his face every day.

And that type of enthusiasm is contagious...

He understands this is his last year.

I think hes approached every day at a very high level.SEE ALSO: A tremendous benefit for us: Puerto Rico set to pay dividends on and off the court for IndianaWilkersons offense may be plug-and-play elite, but his defense is a work in progress one that hes owning with refreshing honesty.I have bad habits.

I like to gamble, I like to go for steals, Wilkerson said.

I feel like sometimes you need that risk on defense, someone thats going to sloppy things up...

Im getting chewed out about it.He smiles as he says it because he knows hes evolving.

Wilkersons learning to toe the line between chaos and control, between havoc and help-side.

And even when hes not perfect positionally, hes rarely quiet.My defensive energy, I just like to talk, he said when asked what his strongest defensive trait is.And talk he does.

Communication, a lost art in some corners of modern college hoops, is a Wilkerson specialty.

Its what turns defensive breakdowns into recoveries and quiet possessions into organized stops.

And for a Hoosiers team likely to lean on its veteran voices, Wilkersons chatter matters.This season is it for Wilkerson.

The final chapter.

The last dance.

He knows it, and hes attacking it with urgency and joy in equal measure.

From JUCO beginnings at Three Rivers College to mid-major stardom at Sam Houston State, his journey has been his own.

Even now on the Big Ten stage, Wilkerson brings the same relentless energy and joy thats fueled his rise every step of the way.Once you come through those doors, you leave everything in the outside world there, Wilkerson said.

This right here, this should be fun at all times.That mindset is exactly why Wilkerson fits in Bloomington.

Indiana isnt just hungry for banners its searching for identity as the program turns the page into a new era inside Assembly Hall.

Its searching for fire.

For fun.

And in Lamar Wilkerson, it just might have found all three.Wilkerson isnt just a scorer, though he scores plenty.

Hes not just a leader, though his teammates follow him.

And hes not just an energy guy, though few bring more.Hes the total package a shot-making alpha with infectious energy, a loud defender, a confident leader and a joyful presence.

Thats Lamar Wilkerson.Not yet a member of TheHoosier? Join our community for Just $1 for your first week and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership.

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