Nick Dorn's journey from Elon to Indiana and the confidence that drives him

Nick Dorn talks to himself in the mirror. Not in whispers, but in declarations.

“I just like to tell myself I can’t be stopped,” Dorn said Tuesday at Indiana basketball’s informal media day. “Words of affirmation just to tell myself that I’m here for a reason and I can do anything — and I really believe that in my heart.”

That belief has carried him through just about everything: a high school career with almost no Division I interest, a freshman season at Elon that ended with Rookie of the Year honors, and a sophomore leap that made him one of the most sought-after guards in the transfer portal.

Now, as he works his way back from foot surgery, Indiana is eager to see if Dorn’s self-assurance can reshape its backcourt.

The 6-foot-7 guard committed to the Hoosiers in April, choosing IU over North Carolina, Maryland and others. His game is built around perimeter shooting — 15.2 points per game last season at Elon, with more than 70% of his shot attempts coming from behind the arc — but his presence has already been felt in ways that don’t show up in box scores.

“Nick walks around like he’s cool and confident all the time, whether it’s off the court or on the court,” guard Conor Enright said. “It’s good, though, you need guys like that, and he’s a shooter, so I need him to be confident all the time.”

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For Dorn, confidence is more than a trait. It’s survival.

When he arrived in Bloomington, he was still recovering from a Jones fracture in his foot — an injury that required two surgeries. While Indiana played and practiced through the summer, including three games in Puerto Rico, Dorn could only watch.

He buried himself in film instead, determined not to fall behind.

“I spent more time in the film room,” Dorn said. “Learning all the plays, making sure I’m crisp when it comes to knowing where I need to be.”

Even without playing, he’s quickly become a constant voice.

“He’s just an ultra good teammate,” forward Trent Sisley said. “[He’s] always talking on the sideline — even though he’s been out. He’s super positive, super talkative and I think he’ll be big for us when he gets back.”

That return is finally close. Dorn has moved from light drills to 2-on-2 work, each step pulling him nearer to the full-speed action he craves.

“I don’t think anybody’s more excited to get back to that play than he is,” guard Tayton Conerway said. “He’s been in the gym. He stays in the gym, even though he probably shouldn’t be there as much as he is. But he stays in the gym. He’s ready to get back.”

Indiana could use him. In Puerto Rico, DeVries started both Conerway and Enright in the backcourt, a lineup that worked in stretches but exposed thin guard depth when foul trouble struck.

With Jason Drake and Aleksa Ristic sidelined, the Hoosiers lack options. Dorn, with his length, spacing and shooting, promises balance.

“What stands out most is just his shooting, and that’s what we prioritize,” DeVries said. “He’s got great length. He has the ability to get it off, great size. He’s not bashful, so I love that about him. He’s very confident as a shooter.”

Physically, Dorn looks like more than just a perimeter weapon.

“He can run. He can move,” DeVries added. “He’s a big, physical guy.”

The coach even joked that football head coach Curt Cignetti “might try and steal him from me.”

That physicality, like his confidence, comes from a family where achievement is practically woven into DNA. Dorn’s tattoos map it out: grandparents on his arm, his late mother on his leg, his brothers and father across his chest.

His dad, Torin Sr., spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Rams. His brothers Torin Jr. and Myles carved their own paths, in basketball at NC State and football in the NFL and UFL.

“They’ve always been there for me,” Dorn said.

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His mother, Rhonda, passed away in 2023, just before he left for Elon. He carries her words with him — literally, etched into his skin. Family has been both foundation and fuel, shaping the way Dorn approaches his own journey.

As a freshman in high school, Dorn stood just 5-foot-9. By his senior year at Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, he had grown to 6-7, but the scholarship offers didn’t follow. He played his entire final season without a commitment, gambling on himself in what he now calls a “leap of faith.”

“I decided to just take a chance, played the whole season out and had a very great year my senior year and that’s how I ended up at Elon,” Dorn said. “I was the last freshman to sign in May [of 2023].”

That gamble turned into opportunity. Dorn averaged 9.4 points as a freshman at Elon, earning CAA All-Rookie honors. He followed that with 15.2 points per game as a sophomore, establishing himself as the Phoenix’s top scorer and vaulting into the transfer market. Indiana didn’t hesitate.

For Dorn, though, the Big Ten is just another stop. His eyes have always been fixed on the highest level. The NBA has been the dream since childhood, and he thrives on the energy of big arenas and hostile environments.

“I tend to like big crowds and when we’re the underdog,” Dorn said. “It just lights a different type of fire [in me].”

He keeps that fire alive with his talks to himself in the mirror, daily reminders that he’s not done yet.

If that reflection could talk back?

“He’d be proud,” Dorn said. “Also, keep going because we’re not done yet.”

That’s the version of Dorn Indiana hopes to unleash this season: confident, versatile, unshakable. For now, he’s still inching toward full health. But the moment he’s cleared, the Hoosiers expect his confidence to ripple across the floor.

“Just an awesome, awesome guy, too,” DeVries said. “He’s so fun to be around, and I can’t wait for him to get out on the practice floor where we can kind of see his energy and enthusiasm.”

For Indiana, and for Dorn, the leap of faith is still unfolding. Each time he looks in the mirror and tells himself he can’t be stopped, he believes it a little more. Soon, Indiana fans will believe it too.

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