Every college basketball fan wants an early look at their team before the season tips off. Indiana fans are getting something better: their team in Team USA jerseys, playing real international competition.
The Indiana University Hoosiers are representing the United States in men’s basketball at the 2026 FISU America Games in Lima, Peru from July 20 through August 1, with head coach Darian DeVries leading a travel roster that doubles as a preview of the new look IU.
A Transfer-Portal Showcase
This roster is a case study in modern roster-building. The backcourt alone pulls from four different high-major programs:
- Markus Burton (Guard, R-Jr.), Notre Dame transfer
- Darren Harris (Guard, Jr.), Duke transfer
- Bryce Lindsay (Guard, R-Jr.), Villanova transfer
- Jaeden Mustaf (Guard, Jr.), Georgia Tech transfer
- Jordan Rayford (Guard, R-Sr.), Air Force transfer
- Justin Monden (Guard, Sr.), Maryland Eastern Shore transfer
Up front, Aiden Sherrell (Forward, Jr.) arrives from Alabama and Ben Winker (Forward, So.) from Cal State Fullerton.
The Homegrown Core
It’s not all portal additions. Sophomores Trent Sisley (Forward) and Drew Snively (Guard) return, joined by a freshman class of Vaughn Karvala (Forward), Trevor Manhertz (Forward), and Prince-Alexander Moody (Guard).
One eligibility note: IU’s international additions, Samet Yigitoglu and Clemens Sokolov, suited up for the domestic exhibition tune-ups but can’t play for Team USA in Peru. Their minutes go to the freshmen and the deep guard rotation, which, for evaluation purposes, might be the most interesting subplot of the trip.
Why Lima Matters for IU
New coach systems take time. New rosters take longer. A rebuilt team getting ten plus days of practices, travel, and games together in July, against international competition and with a flag on the jersey, is the kind of chemistry accelerant most programs would pay for. When conference play arrives, don’t be surprised if this trip is the answer to “why does Indiana already look connected?”
The NIL Angle: Get In Before the Season Does
Here’s the fan math: every one of these transfers chose Indiana in part to raise their profile, and the first jerseys they’ll wear in meaningful competition say USA on the front. Highlights from Lima will be the first film Hoosier Nation shares all year, and the first brand moment for players like Burton, Harris, and Mustaf in cream and crimson circles.
The window before a season starts is when backing an athlete means the most. By January, everyone knows the names. Right now, IU fans can be first.
We’ll be tracking the Hoosiers’ run in Lima and will recap when the delegation comes home.
