Reports: Grant Gelon granted release from Indiana, will evaluate transfer

In an era where players seem to often select playing for coaches over school, significant churn is expected when a school makes a coaching change. Yet just two months ago, Archie Miller seemed poised for a perhaps unexpected scholarship numbers problem in his opening season at Indiana.

James Blackmon’s decision to remain in the NBA Draft kept Indiana under the limit initially. Now, in another unexpected turn, he’ll have an extra scholarship for the 2017 season if he wishes to use it.

Per reports from Peegs.com’s Jeff Rabjohns & Inside The Hall’s Alex Bozich, freshman Grant Gelon has requested his release from the Indiana basketball program and plans to evaluate transfer opportunities. The 6-5 freshman was something of an off-the-radar pickup for the Indiana program, a player Tom Crean had become somewhat randomly enamored with due to his outside shooting ability. Still, the Crown Point native was seldom used in his initial season in Bloomington: he logged just 38 minutes on the floor, mostly in mop-up time during the 2016-17 season. Made three of his five three point attempts, though!

While a transfer has not been finalized and Indiana has not formally commented, this wouldn’t seem to be a case of the much-accused “Spring Creaning” tactic of roster reduction and overrecruiting of which Tom Crean was often accused. Despite being at the scholarship limit for the upcoming season, there has been no news of Indiana targeting any remaining 2017 recruits. A name much speculated, former Dayton commit McKinley Wright, committed to Colorado earlier this month.