'Pressure that comes with playing at IU' helping Trey Galloway navigate waters of NBA pre-draft process

The NBA Draft combine and G-League camp have come and gone and with the NBA Draft just 21 days away, it’s a busy time for draft prospects. That includes former Indiana guard Trey Galloway who has participated in numerous pre-draft workouts, including the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

With a few workouts under his belt, he discussed the process thus far.

“A lot of similarities and a lot of it is very fast paced. I’m trying to move from one thing to other, just mirroring concepts and to try to replicate how their team plays,” Galloway said when speaking to a select group of media that included TheHoosier.com. “They are trying to see if you can kind of fit that balance and stuff. So I thought it went really well today.”

Trey Galloway played four years under Mike Woodson at Indiana and five years total in Bloomington. His improvement over the course of his final two years was evident, however. And that was in large part to the trust and loyalty that he had with Woodson, and Woodson had with him.

He appeared in 140 games throughout his career and averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists a game.

He averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 2023-24 and then 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game in 2024-25. In those years, he was the featured playmaker with the ball in his hands for the majority of possessions — something that Galloway now sees as a great benefit heading into his professional career.

“I think that’s one thing I’ve done pretty well — just playing a different role every year in college, and just my ability to be able to play different roles has been important,” Galloway said. “I think just for me is that, that’s one thing I focused on and heard a lot from teams are just being able to play certain roles that’s needed. Whether that’s off ball and being a good player without the ball in my hands and making the right reads and also on the defensive side, being able to be a ball stopper and a good team defender.”

Galloway arrived at Indiana as a wing who then became a point guard. He turned in a career that resulted in becoming one of just six players in Indiana basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points and 425 career assists.

While Trey Galloway is focused on playing whatever role is needed, his experience playing on the ball will go a long way in whatever role, or position, he has.

“I think it’s just continuing to learn the game and obviously it’s a different level, but I think for me, is when I do have those opportunities to make plays and when I do have the ball in my hands, to make the right reads, which I’ve always been able to do,” Galloway said. “And like I said, continuing to be a guy that can read defenses and take what the defense gives me.

“When I do have the ball in my hands making the right plays and being a guy that can do certain things with it and impact winning in multiple ways.”

Regardless of where a prospect plays or how many games they appear in, playing in the NBA is a different level of intensity and publicity. While nothing can replicate that, Galloway points specifically to his time with Indiana as a great stepping stone to his next step.

“I think for me, being able to handle all the pressure that comes with playing at IU is important. I think that’s really prepared me for this step,” Galloway said. “I mean it’s (the NBA) an even bigger stage, but I think IU, for the platform that they have, it’s very big and a big brand. So I think just being able to play for such a prestigious college was very helpful for me, and I think prepared me for this stage — wherever I end up playing.

“That level of intensity and the passion that Indiana had, I think it’s really, really helped me a lot.”

Wednesday’s workout with the Warriors was his fourth workout over the last month. He has a few more lined up, most notably next with the Sacramento Kings.

It’s a reunion with his former head coach — Mike Woodson, now an assistant with the Kings. And, a full circle moment for the former Indiana guard, knowing how much Woodson did for him and his career — giving Trey Galloway the chance of a lifetime to make his way in the NBA.

“Huge. He’s had a big impact on my career,” Galloway said. “He’s very connected with the NBA world and back in the NBA now, so we’ve continuously talked without this process. He’s been helping me out and telling me the main thing is just to really enjoy it, take it all in … It’s been a fun process so far and he’s been a big part of it.”

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