Class of 2025 top-25 guard Braylon Mullins completed his IU official visit last weekend. Since then he’s cut his list of finalists to Indiana, Connecticut and North Carolina.
Mullins, who is done with visits, is headed to the Coach Wooten Top 150 Camp this weekend in Las Vegas. That should be his last bit of traveling before the family hunkers down to make a decision.
The Daily Hoosier caught up with Mullins’ father Josh on Friday to get the latest on his son’s recruitment.
Here’s our conversation with Josh Mullins:
TDH: Tell me big picture how the IU official visit went last weekend.
Josh Mullins — “It was a good time. Trent (Sisley) was there, Eric (Reibe) was there. It was hotter than heck on Saturday. We went to the football game but didn’t stay long for that. We went in and watched practice and hung out in the gym and did a photo shoot. Overall it was a great visit, they (Indiana) did a good job.”
TDH: I know a big focus right now is on playing style and how Braylon fits. What have you seen at Indiana on recent visits?
Josh Mullins — “Everybody wants to know about the offense, and if it has changed — and it has. You’ve got to see it more to understand if it is going to work, or what they’re truly doing. The big difference is the pace. They’re just pulling it out and getting it to whoever. They’re not really getting it to a traditional point guard, they’re just getting it down the court as quick as they can and seeing if they can get a shot. They’re running their zoom action stuff, and they’ve got a lot more movement.
“Yes, they’ve got two bigs, and I’m sure when they can they’ll throw the ball down low. My thing is, maybe it looks like they’re just letting them play basketball. So if they’ve got a mismatch down low, let’s throw it down, if they’ve got a guy they can kick it out and knock down a three, do that too. It’s just playing.”
TDH: Who does Indiana try to show you who they’re trying to utilize like Braylon?
Josh Mullins — “They don’t really have a player like Braylon. I know he’s my kid, but I could stack him up in the top-10 in shooters in college basketball, right now. So I don’t know who we look at for a comparison. Bray shoots the ball so well off the dribble from three, it’s crazy. That’s probably something that they’re missing to help space the floor. Plus to be able to knock down spot-up threes down, get to the bucket, he plays at all three levels.”
TDH: How close are Braylon and Trent (Sisley)?
Josh Mullins — “They’re good friends. I always tell Matt (Sisley, Trent’s father), ‘I wish we could have gotten this (teaming up for Indiana Elite) a lot earlier, playing together when they were freshmen and played three or four years together.’ Him and Trent for the one summer they were together, they were really close, that whole team was. That’s what made us good. People ask if Trent committing to IU will have a pull on Braylon and I say ‘It might.’ I can’t speak for Braylon on that, but he loves Trent, so I think that could help (IU).”
TDH: What led to cutting out so many of the visits?
Josh Mullins — “He’s had every offer you’d want, and you only get to pick one. The more you kept in there, people don’t understand, it’s not one or two coaches calling, it could be five coaches calling from each school. And the beat writers call, and the agents call. My phone has been nonstop, and I get more calls from NBA agents than I do coaches. Having 10-12 teams in there, it was becoming exhausting to him, and he wasn’t answering everybody on time, and people were like ‘Man does he want to play here’ and I was like “He gets 50 calls a day.’ So I think that was just a matter of respect and more for his mind and sanity to say these are my three finalists.”
TDH: How much are you paying attention to other guard commits at these schools, like Derek Dixon at UNC and potentially Darius Adams at UConn?
Josh Mullins — “Both of those teams have presented those guys as part of the plan. They’re still going after both because they can play both together. We know where people are going, it’s just a matter of when they’re going to say it. I don’t think Braylon is worried about it. I don’t think anybody scares us, but you also want to go in there knowing you’re going to get an opportunity. He doesn’t want to sit the bench his freshman year. He wants to play. And whoever has the best opportunity for him, that’s where he’ll go.”
TDH: Tell me the current thinking about all three finalists.
Josh Mullins — “Indiana is close, so that’s one thing that stands out. I’ve known Jordan Hulls for a long time. Calbert (Cheaney), Brian Walsh and (Mike) Woodson, all those guys are great. IU is not a far drive at all, so that’s a comfort thing for Braylon too. Indiana is Indiana, man. Being from the state, playing for the state, that means a lot.
“But he’s also told me that he doesn’t care if he went 12 hours away. When you got to Storrs, Conn., it’s small. He was like ‘Hey this is like Greenfield.’ Sometimes Braylon is cool with being a rock star on the court but no so much off the court. UConn is kind of that way, and they’ve done a great job, they’re back-to-back champs. Their development of players is different.
“UNC, they’ve always been North Carolina for a reason. They’re always in the mix. Great opportunities, great facilities, great campus. Obviously the weather might be better there, not that that truly matters. Braylon was comfortable there. He liked the visit. Sean (May) being from Indiana, he’s got the pitch that ‘You know Braylon I didn’t leave Indiana, I actually left Bloomington.’ UNC could have more (roster) openings than IU and UConn. They’re coming in next week to present the plan they want for Bray. Coach (Hubert) Davis is coming in here on Monday or Tuesday.
“I told him ‘There’s no wrong pick, I don’t care what people say.’ It’s going to be tough. It’s three great places, and we’ve created great relationships with all three.”
TDH: What is the timeline for wrapping this up?
Josh Mullins — “Early/mid October, and I told Braylon I’d like for him to give us within the family who he’s picking by then, and we’ll keep it private between us.”
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