When you think of basketball, the state of Indiana is synonymous with the sport. And so is the University of Indiana. Indiana basketball is one of the most storied programs in the country. From historic coaches to historic players, the Hoosiers have it all. Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, remains one of the toughest environments in college basketball and in the Big Ten alone.
The 22-time Big Ten champions have also won five national championships. And let’s not forget that Indiana basketball has long been a model of consistency among its players, with every player who played four years from 1973 to 2019 making it to the NCAA tournament. That’s history.
However, the Hoosiers have had a lot more players lately who quit after just one year or who left the team after just a couple of seasons in Bloomington despite having a huge impact on the team. The list of historic players who wore the old cream and purple. NCAA Champions, NBA Champions, Hall of Famers and Indiana have a lot to be proud of with their alumni.
Here’s a look at the men who make up Indiana’s best starting lineup.
Indiana Basketball: The Hoosiers’ best starting lineup of all time
Guard: Isiah Thomas
When you think of the guards in Indiana, which had many outstanding guards, Isiah Thomas stands out. Although he didn’t reach the 1,000-point mark in his two seasons as a Hoosier, Thomas’ contributions to basketball are limitless. The 1979 McDonald’s All-American left the Chicago area for Bloomington. Although Bobby Knight already had quite a reputation by that time, Thomas wasn’t afraid.
Thomas, who might not have looked particularly tough at 6’1″, didn’t back down from anyone, which would show later in his NBA career. Knight’s tough coaching only helped Thomas develop into one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen. Thomas had a great two-year career at Indiana, earning All-Big Ten honors both seasons before leading the Hoosiers to the 1981 NCAA championship and consensus All-American honors that season. After that stellar sophomore season, Thomas entered the NBA Draft.
He was selected as the second overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. The rest is history: Thomas became a key member of the famed “Motor City Bad Boys” and led the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. Despite being the most cut from the “Dream Team” at the 1992 Olympics, Thomas gave it his all and remains one of the most famous names the Hoosiers have ever had.
Thomas retired in 1994 after playing his entire NBA career for Detroit, where he scored over 18,000 points and dished out over 9,000 assists. After his playing days, Thomas became a coach and had some highlights at that level, further proving that the state of Indiana continues to produce players who go on to become strong coaches. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer certainly earned his place on this all-time Hoosier lineup.
Guard: Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo was a key player for Indiana at a time when they had lost their way. Despite being only a three-star recruit out of high school, Oladipo didn’t let that discourage him. His scoring ability was enough to reach the 1,000-point mark in his three-year career at Indiana, but his best quality by far was defense. Although he was more of a background player in his first few seasons, he had a big breakout in 2012-13 and became one of the best players in the country that season.
This team was strong in every area, and Oladipo stepped up to the plate. Not only did he average nearly 14 points per game, but he also earned several individual accolades that season. He was named the College Basketball Player of the Year by Sporting News and was also the country’s co-defensive player of the year. Those accolades also helped him earn a unanimous first-team All-American honor. He was also the Big Ten’s best defender in 2012-13. That was quite an accomplishment in a season that featured many standout players in the Big Ten, including Michigan’s Trey Burke and Ohio State’s Aaron Craft.
That season, Indiana also won the Big Ten and reached the Sweet 16. After that season, Oladipo made the jump to the NBA. Like Thomas, Oladipo was selected second overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He transferred his defensive skills to the NBA, where he was a two-time All-Star. Oladipo is currently a free agent who most recently played for the Miami Heat.
Defender/Forward: Calbert Cheaney
Calbert Cheaney is a must-have for this all-time Hoosier team. He is arguably the best player to ever play for Indiana. His accomplishments in his four-year career are unmatched. Cheaney was successful from 1989 to 1993. The left-hander was successful both as an individual and as a team as a whole, helping Indiana to 105 wins and two Big Ten championships in 1991 and 1993.
During his time in Bloomington, Cheaney also earned major individual accolades. Most of these came in his 1992-1993 season, which was his senior year. That year, in addition to being named a consensus All-American, he also won the Wooden Award, Naismith Award, and Rupp Trophy, in addition to being named the Big Ten’s best player. However, this is not his best achievement, as Cheaney remains the all-time leading scorer in Indiana history. In 132 career games, Cheaney scored 2,613 points. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten history.
His scoring ability earned him a spot in the NBA when he was selected 6th overall by the then Washington Bullets (now Wizards) in 1993. After a ten-year NBA career, Cheaney became a coach and currently serves as the Director of Player Development for his beloved Hoosiers. He is one of the Big Ten’s all-time best true scorers and that has earned him a spot on this roster.
Striker: Scott May
Scott May can be described in one word. And that is legend. May had a stellar career at Indiana and left the school as one of the better forwards, especially in the early 1970s when Bobby Knight got things rolling. May spent three seasons at Indiana and they were very memorable. The two-time All-American was a key part of the Hoosiers’ historic 32-0 team of 1975-76. What that team did and what May himself was able to accomplish, winning the Naismith Player of the Year Award, was simply incredible. May averaged 23.5 points that season and was certainly a scorer way ahead of his time.
Not only was he named National Player of the Year in 1976, but he also won a gold medal for the U.S. team at the Olympics that same year. That also led to him being selected second in the NBA Draft that year by the Chicago Bulls. His rookie season was memorable as he was named to the First-Team All-Rookie, but injury-plagued seasons led to him staying in the NBA for only seven years. May is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame and still one of the many players who make up the legendary history of Indiana basketball.
Center: Cody Zeller
Big men have always been crucial to success in basketball, especially in the Big Ten. That’s true for this Indiana star. Cody Zeller was probably one of the most talked-about big players to ever step foot on campus in Bloomington. The former McDonald’s All-American and Indiana Mr. Basketball was a star from the start. Zeller backed that up with two memorable seasons in the cream and crimson. He was named a unanimous All-American in his sophomore season in 2012-13. He was crucial in both of his seasons at Indiana as they reached the Sweet 16, something they have only accomplished once since then.
In just 72 games, Zeller scored 1,157 points and grabbed 525 rebounds. Zeller and Oladipo were a match made in heaven for Indiana at the time. After that All-American season, Zeller declared for the NBA Draft. He was a top-five pick along with Oladipo in 2013 and went to the Charlotte Hornets as the fourth overall pick. He spent his first eight seasons in Charlotte, where he was a key figure alongside Kemba Walker.
Although he has bounced around a lot in recent years, Zeller finds himself with the Atlanta Hawks for the 2024-25 season. One thing is for sure: Zeller made the No. 40 jersey famous in Indiana and is the perfect choice for the center spot on this all-time Indiana team.
Below are the all-time Big Ten teams:
The best starting lineup of all time for the Illinois Fighting Illini
