Samet Yigitoglu commits to Indiana after quick portal move
Samet Yigitoglu has committed to transfer to Indiana after entering the NCAA transfer portal last week, giving the Hoosiers a 7-footer from SMU with proven production in two seasons. The move was first noted by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, and it lands Yigitoglu in Bloomington after a fast-moving recruiting stretch. Indiana targeted the big man as one of the top centers available in a portal class short on impact size.
Indiana lands Samet Yigitoglu
Yigitoglu spent the past two seasons with SMU and emerged this year as one of the ACC’s most improved players for Andy Enfield and Co. He averaged 10. 7 points, 7. 9 rebounds, 1. 6 assists and 1. 3 blocks per game in 28 minutes per game while shooting 63% from the field.
As a freshman, he started 32 of 35 games and posted 10 points, 6. 2 rebounds and one block per game while shooting 53% from the field. That scoring and efficiency profile placed him among the best-ever SMU first-year seasons for a player in his role, and it quickly made him one of the more watched names in the portal.
Why Samet Yigitoglu stood out
The appeal for Indiana was clear: size, productivity and rapid development. Samet Yigitoglu entered the portal only last week, but interest surfaced quickly as schools looked for a center with a track record of holding up against high-level competition.
South Carolina, Texas Tech, Washington, Louisville and Gonzaga were among the schools in early contact with him, underscoring the market for a player who brought both interior scoring and rim protection. For Indiana, the commitment strengthens what has already been described as one of the country’s best portal hauls so far.
What comes next for the Hoosiers
For now, the move gives Indiana a major frontcourt addition and gives Samet Yigitoglu a new stage after two seasons at SMU. The next step is integration, as Indiana prepares to fold him into a roster that has been aggressively reshaped through the portal.
The timing matters, too. With the transfer market moving fast, Indiana closed the deal quickly on Samet Yigitoglu, and the Hoosiers now have a center who arrives with numbers, experience and immediate expectations attached to his name.
