Tucker DeVries talks injury issues, changing schools, playing for dad Darian

Summary

---

Eye On College Basketball

Episode: Tucker DeVries talks injury issues, changing schools, playing for dad Darian
Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Gary Parrish
Guest: Tucker DeVries (Indiana University Men’s Basketball)

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gary Parrish interviews Indiana basketball standout Tucker DeVries at Big Ten Media Day. The conversation dives into DeVries’s recent recovery from multiple shoulder injuries, his journey across three different college programs alongside his father, Coach Darian DeVries, and his mindset heading into his first year at Indiana. They discuss the emotional and physical challenges Tucker has faced, the unique dynamics of playing for his father, the impact of his family’s transitions, and his hopes for himself and the Hoosiers.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tucker DeVries’s Health and Recovery

• On being healthy after repeated injuries:
  Tucker shares relief and excitement about finally having a full, healthy offseason after enduring three shoulder surgeries that sidelined him much of the previous year.

  • “It feels good to finally have a full offseason, especially with so many guys coming in to be able to… build that chemistry early on.” (01:55, Tucker DeVries)

• On facing the frustration of repeated setbacks:
  DeVries candidly addresses the mental toll of rehabilitation, noting monotony and disappointment, and describing efforts to keep things positive.

  • “Mentally that's just the hardest part of every day… you get to the second and third surgery and you’re doing the same rehab every time, and it gets monotonous.” (02:22, Tucker DeVries)

• His perspective on accepting more surgeries:
  He shares a pragmatic attitude toward doctors’ recommendations but concedes the experience is deeply challenging.

  • “There’s not much you can do… the doctors get paid a lot of money to make those decisions and… you gotta listen to them. But mentally it’s definitely challenging.” (02:50, Tucker DeVries)

---

Navigating College Transitions and Playing for His Dad

• On moving schools multiple times:
  Tucker reflects on transferring from Drake to West Virginia, and now Indiana, always following his father’s coaching career.

  • “I wouldn’t really trade it for anything… I thought it was great to be where I was… And then coming to Indiana, to be able to cap it off at such a historic program is pretty special.” (03:31, Tucker DeVries)

• Family impact of career moves:
  The transition to Indiana was a family decision, especially as his father’s coaching moves played out publicly.

  • “I was… whatever he thought was best for him and the family, I was fully on board with. I just wanted to be the easy one in the family.” (04:40, Tucker DeVries)

• Why he consistently chose to play for his father:
  DeVries admits he considered other programs in high school, but since starting college has never seriously considered not playing for his dad.

  • “At the end of the day, I thought Drake was the place to be and it felt like home. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” (05:30, Tucker DeVries)

---

The Experience of Being a Coach’s Son at Indiana

• The best part of playing for his dad:
  Tucker values the shared hard work and memorable moments with his father.

  • “You work extremely hard to create the good memories… When you have success, it makes it that much special.” (05:50, Tucker DeVries)

• Spotlight and expectations at Indiana:
  Parrish notes the intensity of attention at Indiana, referencing the experiences of Pat Knight. Tucker admits the spotlight has increased but aims to stay grounded.

  • “Obviously it ramps up a little bit, just the recognition… But I’ll just try to be myself. You want those expectations… the best thing is for us just to embrace them.” (06:43, Tucker DeVries)

---

Season Outlook and Team Goals

• What success looks like for DeVries and Indiana:
  He sets forth their central priority: playing with pride, hard work, and making the IU fanbase proud, believing that results and wins will follow.
  • “The first thing we got to do as a team is just make this fan base proud… If we can get it rolling, and winning championships year in and year out, this fan base would be by far the best in the country.” (07:23, Tucker DeVries)

---

Notable Quotes

• “Mentally that's just the hardest part of every day… you get to the second and third surgery and you’re doing the same rehab every time, and it gets monotonous.”
  (02:22, Tucker DeVries)

• “I wouldn’t really trade it for anything… I thought it was great to be where I was… And then coming to Indiana, to be able to cap it off at such a historic program is pretty special.”
  (03:31, Tucker DeVries)

• “You work extremely hard to create the good memories… When you have success, it makes it that much special.”
  (05:50, Tucker DeVries)

• “You want those expectations… the best thing is for us just to embrace them.”
  (06:43, Tucker DeVries)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:15–01:37 – Introduction and context from Gary Parrish
• 01:37–02:50 – Tucker discusses injury recovery and mental challenges
• 03:04–04:40 – On transferring schools and family decision-making
• 05:06–05:30 – On recruiting, choosing to always play for his father
• 05:50–06:43 – Reflections on father-son relationship in sports and the Indiana spotlight
• 07:10–07:54 – Season outlook: team goals and vision for success

---

Episode Tone & Takeaway

DeVries comes across as resilient, self-aware, and grateful for every stop on his collegiate journey. Despite the adversity of injuries and constant changes, he remains optimistic, values family above all, and is eager to embrace both the challenge and the promise of playing at Indiana. The conversation’s tone is grounded and candid, reflecting both the realities of high-level college basketball and the personal stakes for those living it.

---

Transcript

[Gary Parrish]

Hey there, Gary Parrish. Welcome back to the CBS Sports I Own College Basketball podcast where we sometimes discuss camel fighting, dodo birds and leaky black. If you're watching on YouTube, you know what to do to the like button shouts to Brandon Davies you. And if you haven't yet subscribed to the CBS Sports college basketball YouTube channel, please also do that while you're here. Let's get into it. Different deal today. As you'll soon realize, Matt Norlander is not here with me. And that's because I'm in Chicago for Big Ten Media Day. And while here, I sat down with most of the coaches and some of the players for quick conversations about their programs and college basketball in general. And we figured, or at least we hoped that, that you guys might like to listen to those conversations. So we're placing them in the I Own College Basketball feed. It's me, GP at Big Ten Media Day. The conversations I had with coaches and players, they are on tap. I hope you enjoy them. Right after this word from our partners.

[WhatsApp Advertiser]

When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Gary Parrish]

Learn [e-mail] Gary Parrish here with Indiana standout Tucker Devries. First things first. I gather you're feeling healthy for the first time in a while. I think most people know you're missed much of last season at West Virginia with a shoulder injury. I believe you've now had three different shoulder procedures. How are you feeling?

[Tucker Devries]

I feel great. I mean, it, it feels good to finally have a full offseason, especially with so many guys coming in to be able to, you know, have the full off season to, you know, join them in practice and, you know, kind of build that chemistry early on is it's certainly been helpful.

[Gary Parrish]

What's that like when you are sidelined and it's seemingly one thing after another. I know you're still living a wonderful life, but that must be incredibly frustrating and, and on some level disappoint appointment has to set in.

[Tucker Devries]

Yeah, I think mentally that's kind of just the hardest part of every day. Just, you know, when you get to the second and third, third surgery and you're doing the same rehab every time and you know, it gets monotonous so trying to make it, you know, a little more fun or in a way of, you know, still rehabbing, but. And getting stuff done. You need, but in a different way that, you know, maybe is not super boring.

[Gary Parrish]

When somebody tells you you're going to have to have a third shoulder surgery, like, how do you, how do you accept that news?

[Tucker Devries]

I mean, to be honest, there's not much you can do. I. I think, you know, the doctors get paid a lot of money to, to make those decisions and, you know, you got to listen to them and what's best, so. But, you know, mentally, it's. It's definitely challenging.

[Gary Parrish]

You've had a really interesting and an unusual college career. You started at Drake because that's where your father is the coach. You follow him to West Virginia. Now you have followed him to Indiana. I imagine when you are thinking about your college career, you don't expect to bounce around like this, even though it is more normal than it used to be. Given transfer waivers and nil and revenue sharing. What's it been like moving around as much as you've moved around?

[Tucker Devries]

You know, I wouldn't really trade it for anything. I think it's, you know, I think my first three years at Drake were awesome. I wouldn't trade it for anything. And I thought it was great to be, you know, where I was and, you know, I can't thank that school enough for what they provided me. And then going to West Virginia, you know, having a great time, you know, there and, you know, then the. Just the process of it all, then coming to Indiana, to be able to cap it off at, you know, such a historic program is, you know, pretty special. And, you know, I think it's. It's all part of the journey and, you know, it's brought me here and, you know, you learn a lot from, from each stop and, you know, get to carry it on to the next.

[Gary Parrish]

I talked to your father earlier and he acknowledged that, you know, when you get a offer, like an Indiana offer, it's like a dream come true on one hand. On the other hand, you just sort of get settled in West Virginia and you're not planning to. To move again. Obviously, he didn't go through that alone. Your entire family went through it. And it has an impact on where you're going to play basketball, where you're going to attend college. What. What was it like as you're watching him go through that coaching search in a. In a very public way?

[Tucker Devries]

Yeah, I mean, I was just there, obviously, in support. I. I was whatever I, whatever he thought, you know, was the, for him and the family, I was fully on board with. You know, I just wanted to be the easy one in the family. You know, I'm pretty easy going. And you know, when he said we were going to Indiana, I was, I was obviously super excited and happy that I, I get to be a part of, you know, such a rich tradition and history of, you know, Indiana basketball.

[Gary Parrish]

I know in high school you, you did allow yourself to be recruited by other coaches, other schools, but you committed to your father and you followed him now to three different places. Have you ever seriously considered not playing for him?

[Tucker Devries]

Not since I came to college, I would say, you know, in high school there were certainly some opportunities that, you.

[Gary Parrish]

Know, there's.

[Tucker Devries]

Other schools and just where he was at with Drake and, you know, there were some relationships I had with other head coaches, honestly, because of him and who, who he's worked for. But at the end of the day, you know, I thought Drake was the, the place to be and it felt like home. And, you know, I wouldn't trade that for anything.

[Gary Parrish]

What's the best part about playing for your father?

[Tucker Devries]

I'd say the best part's just the memories you get to, or moments you get to create together. You're both. You work extremely hard to, you know, create the good memories so you, or the good moments, and so you don't take those for granted. You realize how hard each, each of us have worked to, you know, reach those goals. And when you, you have success and, you know, it makes it that much special.

[Gary Parrish]

You've been a coach's son your whole life and so, you know, the spotlight goes hand in hand with that. But, but I think most people would tell you at Indiana it's just a different deal altogether. I've talked to Pat Knight about this, Bob Knight's son, about what it was like to be the Indiana basketball's coach, the Indiana basketball coach's son. Growing up in Bloomington and you know, that can get complicated, exciting, but it's, it's a lot going on. Have you noticed your life change at all since moving to Bloomington? Just the way people, you know, interact with you as you're walking around town?

[Tucker Devries]

Yeah, obviously it, you know, ramps up a little bit, just the recognition, the, the spotlight a little bit. But at the same time, you know, I'll just try to be myself. Don't let that change who I am and, you know, what I'm doing on a day to day basis. But I think it's certainly, you know, something that you want. You want those expectations, you. And I think the best thing is for us just to embrace them and take them head on and enjoy being a part of Indiana basketball.

[Gary Parrish]

Last thing before I get you out of here. You've obviously been on campus. You're getting familiar with your new teammates. What have you seen in the gym? What does success look like for you and your program in year one at Indiana?

[Tucker Devries]

I think the first thing we got to do as a team is just make this fan base proud. In the way we play, the style we play, how hard we play, I think that's step one. And then I think with that, as long as we do that, the wins will follow that as well. And I think it's a fan base that's ready for a bunch of success. And, you know, you've seen over the years how passionate they are, and if. If we can get it. Get it rolling and, you know, winning championships year in and year out, this. This fan base would be, you know, already is one of the best in the country. It would be by far the best in the country.

[Gary Parrish]

Congrats on finally getting healthy. I hope you stay that way all season, and I appreciate your time today.

[Tucker Devries]

Thank you very much.

[Gary Parrish]

Thank you.