Darian DeVries wasn't sure how far basketball would take Tucker DeVries. Now, he's set to lead Indiana in his final year -- and more: 'He's a first round kid'

When Tucker DeVries was in high school, Darian DeVries never thought he’d be the player that he is today. In fact, he was just enjoying the fact that Tucker loved the game and enjoyed playing the sport that he was coaching. Three college stops later and getting ready to begin the last ride together at Indiana, Tucker DeVries is healthy and expecting his final year to be his best.

DeVries is coming off of a shoulder injury that sidelined him for all but eight games last season at West Virginia. In those eight games, however, he was averaging 14.9 points and shooting 47.3 percent from three.

His shoulder injury last season was part of a lingering issue that had been with him for three years. Despite that, his production and efficiency has been on full display.

DeVries was a two-time Missouri Valley Player of the Year and three-time All-MVC player during his three seasons at Drake. In 104 games at Drake, DeVries averaged 18.0 points and shot 35.9 percent on 2.4 made 3s a game.

He was 2nd in the MVC in Player Efficiency Rating as a sophomore and then 6th as a junior. He was 6th in Offensive Win Shares as a freshman, then 1st and then 5th during his three years at Drake. His offensive +/- was 5th, 1st and then 2nd.

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Last year his 47.3 percent from three was with 3.3 makes a game.

So, with his first healthy offseason in quite some time under his belt, there’s a lot of confidence in the skillset that he’ll bring to the floor.

“Yeah, we’re excited, and excited for him to be healthy too,” Darian DeVries said at Big Ten Media Day earlier this month. “That’s a big part of it too. So to get to spend this time together, this journey has been a lot of fun. And we’d love to end it on a very positive note this year.”

From Drake to West Virginia and now to Indiana, Tucker and his dad have seen each other grow both as a player and coach and off the court.

That growth was needed — even dating back to his high school days when it was Darian who didn’t know if Tucker’s skillset would evolve into playing high-major, let alone mid-major basketball.

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“Between his sophomore and junior year, I had to reevaluate my evaluation skills,” Darian DeVries said. “But that’s when he really took the biggest jump. He grew about three or four inches, but then you could see the confidence starting to come through too. So that’s kind of when I realized he has a chance to be a good player and play beyond high school.”

At 6-foot-7, DeVries is not a typical forward or guard. He brings a variety of skills to the floor that allow him to be more than just the shooter that he’s known for. His versatility as a passer and playmaker is key in allowing an offense to flow through him or around him.

Whether it’s posting up on smaller defenders in the paint, having an offense play through him at the high post, or using his size as a ball handler in the pick and roll, DeVries has a diverse set of skills that sometimes go unnoticed.

“I think he can do a lot and get moved around to really take advantage of mismatches and really score from all three levels,” Jordan Basye told TheHoosier this summer — a well known local trainer and now runs the Indiana Elite program. “I think people would be surprised by that and the physicality the he likes to play with. He’s not just a standstill shooter. He really — if you watch it, he’s really good shooting off the move which I think people under value.

“That’s what really stood out to me. I’d never worked with him one on one before (May), but obviously his versatility, his size — like again he’s so strong. He’ll be good in the Big Ten.”

DeVries is coming to Indiana following his lowest usage percentage of his career at just 22.1 percent in the eight appearances. That drops from 31.6 percent the year before and 28.5 percent as a sophomore.

After struggling in Puerto Rico to find his shot, DeVries settled in and let the game come to him — both in practice and then in Indiana’s exhibition against Marian. He paced Indiana with 23 points on 7-of-9 from the field and 5-of-7 from three. He added five rebounds and six assists in 22 minutes.

“I thought he did a good job kind of just playing,” Darian said after the Marian win. “And that’s what I think he has — one of his better qualities, I think, is just his feel and his IQ and his ability to kind of play off defenses. We rely on a lot with some of his play making as well, coming off of ball screens and things. And also being able to utilize him on the move. I thought he had a nice, solid floor game tonight.”

Pat Knight, the son of Bob Knight and former Indiana Pacers scout, saw first hand last week the type of player DeVries is. And, he even had the knowledge of him from scouting him over the last few years.

“Well, he was hurt last year. But when we were looking at him two years ago, he was early second round, late first, so he can move up cuz he knows how to play, and he can shoot,” Knight said after the exhibition. “And so for me now, after seeing him these last couple years, you’re looking, and I hate putting pressure on kids. But yeah, he’s a first round kid, yeah, knows how to play. Shooting’s a premium at that level … So the kid’s got a great future. But I hope he has a great future here, and gets things going here.”

So as DeVries looks to lead in his final year — both father and son are well aware at how far he’s come, and yet, still how much Tucker wants to prove.

“I think like a lot of the young players, when he comes in, just the strength and the speed of the game, he’s really adjusted to that. He’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten faster. You learn how to play the game and play to your strengths. Avoid some of your weaknesses, those type of things,” Darian DeVries said. “I think just his overall game has really improved. We had to utilize him a lot at Drake, especially his last year. He’s almost like a second point guard. So we’ve had his decision making and his ability to create for others has become something that we really try to utilize. Because he is such a good passer and his size, he’s able to see over defenses and get some ball screen coverage and things. So that’s the part I think he’s really grown as an overall player.

“I wasn’t too focused on where I was at, mid-major, high-major. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s basketball, and you’re competing every day, no matter the level,” Tucker added. “I think, to be honest, I always felt confident enough that I could play at that level. I think it obviously looks a little different, just based on who you have on your team a little bit. But I think I’ve always had that confidence that I can play there.”

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