Tom Izzo, Mike Woodson, Micah Shrewsberry among the coaches who've been in to see Darius Adams this season

by:Joe Tipton•02/08/24•

TiptonEdits

Basketball season is in full effect. Typically, the recruiting process for high school recruits begins to slow a bit during this time. This is because of the hectic schedule from both parties (players and coaches) — multiple games a week, leading to it being more difficult to find time during the midst of the season.

However, several head coaches and assistants in college basketball make it their mission to visit their top recruits. This helps further build a relationship, continues the scouting process, and shows the player that they are a priority for that school.

I’ve decided to do a mini series in which I ask several of the nation’s top 2025 prospects which coaches have been in to see them this season. This includes coming to their respective high school to visit in between classes, for games, and practices.

Next up is four-star shooting guard Darius Adams, a 6-foot-4 junior out of La Lumiere School (IN). Adams, a native of Manasquan, N.J., is ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. He’s also the No. 7 shooting guard and the No. 2 player in Indiana for his respective class.

7 college programs have been in to see Darius Adams this season

Darius Adams told On3 the following coaches have visited him this season:

Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
Notre Dame Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry
Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson
Tennessee Associate Head Coach Justin Gainey
Michigan Associate Head Coach Phil Martelli
Kansas Assistant Coach Norm Roberts
Alabama Assistant Coach Preston Murphy

Adams discusses several programs involved

In a previous interview with On3, Darius Adams discussed three of the schools recruiting him.

Tennessee: “The atmosphere is great there,” Adams said. “I’ve known Riley Collins, one of the graduate assistants there since I was little. There is a long-time relationship there. The football I went to was great, the fans and everything. I also got to see the team scrimmage when I went down there. The fans were great, and the atmosphere at the football game was crazy.

“They like to get up and down, so I like that. They let their guys play in transition and they get their shooters open. I want to get down there for a basketball game, but I am assuming that the atmosphere is the same as football.”

Indiana: “I had never been there before my visit. So I just talked a lot with Coach (Mike) Woodson and learned a lot from him. I got to see their football game and atmosphere when I was there, and I got to sit in on a practice. See how they kind of do things while I was there. So that was good. They use shooters and their system needs shooters. I’m a person who can shoot and drive, so I can spread the floor for them, or attack the closeout.”

Michigan State: “Coach (Tom) Izzo sat next to me during the football game. That stood out for me, we talked a lot, and that gave me a really good impression of him, and started a good relationship with me and him. Coach Izzo has put a lot of guards in the NBA. He develops guys, so being able to learn from him would be interesting to me.”

What he’s looking for in a school

“I’m looking for a situation that has a good, loving coach that cares about his players,” Adams said previously. “More than just how many points they can put on the boards. I’m looking for a play style that I can play in. I like to get up and down, I don’t really like the slow game. But a coach that has sets and trusts his guys to make plays.”