IU basketball has added seven players this spring from the transfer portal. Player by player, we’ll take a look at each addition in our “transfer portal spotlight” series.
Today: Aiden Sherrell
Previously: Jaeden Mustaf, Darren Harris, Markus Burton, Samet Yigitoglu
Bio: 6-foot-11, 255-pound forward from Detroit, Michigan
Previous school: Alabama (2024-2026, two seasons)
Career stats: 7.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocked shots and 0.7 assists in 16.1 minutes per game over two seasons. Sherrell is a career 53.2 percent field-goal shooter, a 33.6 percent 3-point shooter and a 65.3 percent free-throw shooter.
Notable statistics: The 2024 McDonald’s All-American stepped into a more significant role last season at Alabama as a sophomore and averaged 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocked shots and 1.1 assists in 23.9 minutes per game. He has three career double-doubles.
Recruitment background
Sherrell was a part of two successful teams in his time at Alabama, reaching the Elite Eight in the 2025 NCAA tournament and the Sweet Sixteen this past spring in the 2026 NCAA tournament.
He entered the transfer portal in April and had a long list of interested teams, including Duke and Michigan State. The IU coaching staff prioritized Sherrell, worked diligently to get him on campus for a visit and landed his commitment on April 15.
Like many of IU’s transfer portal additions this spring, Sherrell has played two seasons of college basketball and currently has two seasons of eligibility remaining. However, if the “5-in-5 rule is enacted,” he would have three seasons to play. With his size, talent and versatile skill set, Sherrell will be a player that NBA scouts are keeping close tabs on this season in Bloomington.
Notes on his game
Sherrell’s steady improvement from his freshman to sophomore season in Tuscaloosa should excite IU fans about his potential impact as a junior for the Hoosiers.
He played the five last season at Alabama under Nate Oats but that will change this season as Darian DeVries expects to pair him with 7-foot-2 Samet Yigitoglu in a revamped IU basketball frontcourt. The Hoosiers will have plenty of practice time to figure that out this summer with a planned trip to Lima, Peru, in late July.
In addition to his strong numbers as a post finisher – he shot 64 percent on 2s last season – Sherrell can also stretch the floor. He shot 27-for-80 on 3-pointers last season, good for 33.8 percent. He also excelled at drawing fouls and converting at the line this past season, posting a free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) of 66.4 percent in SEC games while converting at a 79.7 percent clip from the stripe in conference play. After shooting only 46.3 percent from the foul line as a freshman, Sherrell shot 71.3 percent as a sophomore, a notable improvement.
Defensively, he will be IU’s best shot blocker. He ranked 36th in the country with an 8.5 block percentage, per KenPom.com, and posted a 6.6 block percentage in SEC games, ranking seventh in the league.
“I think Aiden, there’s a lot there. He can shoot the ball,” DeVries said recently of Sherrell. “He can put the ball on the deck. So he’s still going to give us that spacing. It’s a little bit different than maybe what we had, but I also think that his ability, when he gets switches, he’s going to be able to take guards down into the post and really make you second-guess whether you want to switch or not.
“But he still creates enough of the spacing that we want to make sure that we have driving lanes and post-up opportunities.”
Scouting report
“Sherrell has great size and is capable of playing out on the perimeter. For such a big guy, he can flip his hips and re-screen fairly quickly. Whoever lands him is getting a player who has had a good education in the pick-and-roll game after two years at Alabama. He isn’t quick off the ground but has good touch. He’s also made 41 3s at a 33.6 percent clip in two seasons. He’s closer to average as a shooter, but at least good enough that he can’t be left alone. He has the type of skill where it’s likely he’d have success as a back-to-the-basket scorer, but that’s just not something Alabama does.
“Defensively, Sherrell moves his feet well for a guy of his build and can defend without fouling (3.5 fouls per 40 minutes). He defends with his chest, and you’re not moving him. He can block shots both on the ball and as a help-side defender and had an 8.5 percent block rate.” – The Athletic
“Coach Nate Oats expanded Sherrell’s role this past season. He was one of the best bigs in SEC conference play, improving from an average of 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds to 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds. He had 15 points and 15 rebounds in an NCAA tournament win over Hofstra; he also went for 26 points and 13 rebounds in a February win over Arkansas.” – Jeff Borzello, ESPN.com
Aiden Sherrell highlights
Aiden Sherrell shot chart
(Photo credit: Alabama Athletics)
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