Four Indiana Hoosiers Set for NBA Playoff Action

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Four former players from the Indiana University men’s basketball team are gearing up for the 2025 NBA postseason, with two set to compete in the Play-In Tournament starting this week. Notable names include OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks and Kel'El Ware of the Miami Heat.

Anunoby, a candidate for the NBA All-Defensive Team, is coming off a career-best season, averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He played in all 74 games for the Knicks, who secured the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 51-31. The Knicks will host the Detroit Pistons in a best-of-seven series beginning at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 19.

‘We have high hopes for this playoff run,’ Anunoby said. ‘Our team has come together, and I’m excited to contribute anything I can.’

Meanwhile, Ware, a rookie with the Miami Heat, averaged 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in 64 games this season. The Heat finished as the 10th seed and will face the Chicago Bulls in a win-or-go-home Play-In game at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 16.

‘My teammates and I are ready to fight for this spot in the playoffs,’ Ware stated. ‘This is what we’ve worked for all year.’

The Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis will also be in action during the Play-In Tournament. Jackson-Davis, who averaged 6.6 points and 5.0 rebounds this season, will start for the Golden State Warriors, who face the Memphis Grizzlies at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 15. A victory will set the Warriors up to play the Houston Rockets, the second seed in the Western Conference.

‘This is a pivotal moment for us, and I’m ready to do my part,’ Jackson-Davis remarked. ‘The playoffs are a different beast, and we have to be on our A-game.’

The other former Indiana player in the playoffs is Thomas Bryant of the Indiana Pacers, who start their postseason journey against the Milwaukee Bucks at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. Bryant has averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds across 56 games this season.

‘We’re eager to bring our best against the Bucks,’ Bryant said. ‘This is a chance to prove ourselves, and home-court advantage will be huge for us.’

The matchups this coming weekend mark a significant return to the playoffs for both the Knicks and Pacers, as it is the first time since 2014 that Indiana has secured home-court advantage in the first round.

This playoff season offers a chance for these four former Hoosiers to make their mark and demonstrate the talent developed during their time at Indiana University.