Mike Woodson Already Lands Major Recruit At Indiana

It didn't take long for Mike Woodson's presence to make a difference for the Indiana basketball program. Like, about a week.

As relayed by 247Sports, former Texas commit and four-star shooting guard Tamar Bates said he is now signing on with Woodson and the Hoosiers.

“I’m going to Indiana to play for coach Mike Woodson, Bates told 247Sports.

Woodson has never coached at the college level before. He did play at IU and has spent plenty of time in the NBA as a coach, either as a head coach or assistant. He most recently served as an assistant on Tom Thibodeau's staff with the New York Knicks.

Bates changed his commitment to Texas after then-Longhorns coach Shaka Smart took the job at Marquette. Former Texas Tech coach Chris Beard then replaced Smart at Texas.

Bates said that Woodson's history as an NBA player and coach played a role in his own decision to sign with the Hoosiers.

“Past his own decorated personal achievements and accolades, he just stressed how important it was that he make me better as a man," Bates said. "Me and my family felt that being around him and the staff that he’s put together that they would be able to continue to build my mental capacity and just help me grow as a young man.

“I’m going to be with them for a pretty important portion of my life, and that was the one thing that was really important to us, being around a group of men that are going to build me and have my best interests first.”