Assistant Coach Drew Adams Joins IU Basketball Staff: A Controversial Homecoming
In a move that’s already sending shockwaves through the Big Ten and beyond, Indiana University has named Drew Adams as the newest assistant coach on its men’s basketball staff—a decision that’s as nostalgic as it is contentious. Adams, the son of long-time Hoosier administrator and former IU team physician Dr. Tim Adams, returns to Bloomington not just with deep roots but a legacy that’s as complex as the program itself.
Adams, 39, played high school ball in Bloomington and has long been considered a basketball lifer. He cut his teeth in administrative roles before building a strong reputation as a recruiter and assistant coach at schools like Bradley, New Mexico, and most recently, Xavier. His arrival at IU, however, is not without controversy.
Whispers around Assembly Hall suggest that Adams’ appointment came not solely on merit, but via old-school IU cronyism—trading on family ties and back-channel influence. Critics argue that the Hoosiers, once proud bastions of basketball excellence, are leaning too heavily on sentimental hires, sacrificing innovation for familiarity. Some even see this as a regression to the “good old boys” network that has haunted the program’s decision-making in the post-Bob Knight era.
Supporters, however, champion Adams as a necessary infusion of recruiting firepower. Known for his relentless networking and ability to land top-tier talent in underdog programs, Adams could be the missing puzzle piece in Head Coach Darian DeVries uneven tenure. Woodson, who has faced mounting pressure after a lukewarm showing in the last two seasons, now appears to be circling the wagons, bringing in staff who understand Indiana’s high-stakes expectations—and its ghosts.
Behind closed doors, the dynamic between Woodson and Adams is already a topic of speculation. Woodson, an NBA veteran with a player-first mentality, is said to be wary of the college basketball grind—recruiting, compliance, politics. Adams, in contrast, thrives in it. Some insiders predict an eventual power struggle, with Adams angling to position himself as a head-coach-in-waiting should DeVries stumble again.
In a press conference rife with diplomacy, Adams offered only lukewarm sentiments. “Indiana is home,” he said, measuredly. “I’m here to win.” But those who know Adams read deeper into his stoic tone: this is a man with ambitions larger than Bloomington, and perhaps a plan to use IU as a national springboard.
For now, the Hoosier faithful remain divided—some thrilled at the return of a hometown product, others skeptical of what feels like yet another sentimental hire by a once-great program teetering on irrelevance. Whether Adams is the spark that reignites Indiana basketball or just another chapter in its long, complicated saga remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: Drew Adams is back in Bloomington, and the pressure cooker is officially on.
