Coming off a senior season in which he led Indiana University to the Sweet Sixteen, Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell looks to join a long list of former Hoosiers to be selected in the NBA Draft. Ferrell’s list of basketball accomplishments is undoubtedly impressive, and the former McDonald’s All American lived up to all the hype throughout his college career. While he was more than proficient running an offense in the Big Ten, arguably one of the toughest basketball conferences in the nation, the big question surrounding Yogi is how well his game will translate to the NBA. While he did many things well in college, there are a few things he’ll need to work on in order to one day hear an announcer say the name Yogi Ferrell during an NBA game. Strengths Experience Ferrell was a four-year starter for coach Tom Crean, and shared the court at IU with current NBA players Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh, and Victor Oladipo. In an era where many players are leaving school after only one or two years, Ferrell stuck around through his senior year, and that extra time learning the nuances of the game showed during his junior and senior year. The most valuable experience Ferrell gained during his time at IU was running an up-tempo offense that should translate easily into the NBA style of play. Crean is also a big proponent of running the pick and roll in half court sets, which is prevalent in all NBA offenses. Leadership Ferrell was entrusted with running the offense from the first day he stepped on campus. Even as a freshman, Ferrell displayed natural leadership qualities on the court, and ended up transforming into the team’s leader off of the court in his last couple years with the program. He displays the kind of confidence and high basketball IQ necessary to lead a team, and has shown he has no problems leading those older than his self. Ferrell is also very adept at gauging when he needs to be a facilitator on offense, or take over and create offense on his own. …
Continue Reading: Indiana Basketball: Yogi Ferrell Draft Profile
