Indiana basketball scouting report: Jules LaMendola

Indiana women’s basketball could have another star freshman on the court next year.

Jules LaMendola, a 6-1 guard out of the DFW led Coppell High School to its first-ever Texas 6A Final Four and averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists while doing so. Her efforts resulted in both the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps Texas Player of the Year awards this past season. She was also the subject of this well-done feature on YouTube:

Strongly recommend that all Hoosier fans watch that if they want to gain a better understanding of who she is off the court. We’ve got all the on the court stuff covered, let’s get into it.

LaMendola has both the skill and athleticism needed to produce at the Division-I level. She’s dangerous and has a pair of post moves that can be used to score consistently. She’s at her best when driving with the ball in her right hand and can legitimately spin her way through a double team when working back to the basket. She can finish with a jumper or floater out of the spin well:

She’s also very reliable when it comes to rebounding. She was a machine off the glass in high school not just because she was usually the strongest player on the floor but also because she prioritizes boxing out as soon as a shot’s taken. LaMendola identifies her mark quickly and gains inside leverage with ease. She nearly averaged a double-double last season and I’d bet she records a few of those through her career in Bloomington

In terms of next season, LaMendola will compete for playing time. Indiana’s biggest offseason need is replacing Grace Berger’s 12.9 points and team-best 5.8 assists per game from a season ago. The 2023 guard tandem of LaMendola and Lenée Beaumont will probably be asked to do more than typical freshmen.

Senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil will likely bring the ball up the floor, but LaMendola’s experience doing so could help take some of that responsibility off of Moore-McNeil’s hands.

She’ll absolutely be in the rotation.