Recruiting Profile: Indiana Hoosiers PF Juwan Morgan

Indiana's first commitment in its 2015 class was 4-star recruit Juwan Morgan, back in September of 2014. A 6-8 power forward out of Waynesville, Mo., he's ranked the No. 72 player in the class of 2015 by 247sports.com.

After visiting Bloomington, Morgan cancelled his remaining visits and decided to become a Hoosier. "As soon as I stepped on the campus, I knew it was the place for me," he said.

"There's no single defining aspect of his game, other than perhaps his consistent yeoman's effort," says Scout.com's Rob Harrington. He adds that Morgan has the discipline to play within his game and not try to do too much.

These are sentiments Morgan himself has echoed. When asked how he could impact the Indiana team next season, he told The Indianapolis Star, "Mainly the garbage things that nobody really likes to do -- setting screens, offensive boards, diving after balls, hustle plays, getting back on defense. Just getting in there and working."

Morgan has great athleticism and leaping ability, with the potential to guard multiple positions. He finishes well around the rim with either hand and seems to have no problem staying engaged on both ends of the floor, even if he's not scoring. Morgan has a high field goal percentage and doesn't force a lot of shots. He does most of his work on the offensive end in and around the paint, but has the ability to knock down the open three-pointer or 15-footer.

Like any high school player, he can definitely improve in a few areas as well. Head coach Tom Crean told him that he's nowhere near where he could be in a year. That challenge, along with Crean's record for developing players, is a big part of what swayed Morgan towards Indiana.

While he does have nice touch near the basket, his post up game in the half court is limited. His outside shot also has a lot of room for improvement. He's not small, but would benefit from adding some strength to compete with the Big Ten's best in the paint.

He was named the EYBL's Most Improved Player in the summer of 2014 and has continued to hone his game in preparation for the next level.

Tom Crean talked about Morgan in a press conference last November:

"What I like about him is that he's going to do whatever you ask him to do to win the game on both ends of the floor. I think he's going to be very versatile in the way that he can defend different people. I think he's going to be able to get out and guard on the perimeter. He's a very good post defender, very good at defending ball screens, and I think he's got that leadership ability that you want defensively to help hold his teammates accountable."

"Offensively, he can not only score at the rim, he can not only run the court, but he can stretch the defense, and I think he'll become a consistent three-point shooter over time. But I also like that, as a bigger player, he can really drive the ball, and we were able to see that improvement level in him."

Morgan has a high ceiling, and Crean believes he has the character to become a leader in the locker room as well as on the court. Along with incoming McDonald's All-American center Thomas Bryant and 3-star small forward OG Anunoby, he will provide depth as part of a talented trio of frontcourt players that make up IU's 2015 class. Due to his athleticism and versatility, Morgan could eventually become a key part of this team.