The Indiana basketball season was largely forgettable for most of the regular season, with the month of February casting a dark cloud over Bloomington. At the start of the month, head coach Mike Woodson appeared to be on the verge of being pushed out, especially as fans made it clear they wanted him gone.
At one point, the situation grew so dire that Indiana fans booed Woodson during a home game. It was a tough period for the fourth-year head coach, who had only hoped for a successful coaching tenure at his alma mater, but instead found himself at odds with the fanbase.
“Indiana fans have run out of patience with Mike Woodson. After the Hoosiers collapsed late and suffered a 79-78 loss to Maryland on Sunday, the home crowd booed its head coach as he left the floor,” wrote Ryan Phillips.
Woodson announced he would step down at the end of the season, allowing Indiana time to carefully consider their next head coach. The decision wasn’t a surprise, as many had expected him to be fired after the season. After his final game at Assembly Hall, Woodson seemed to regret his decision.
“Maybe I’m leaving too soon, I don’t know,” Woodson said. “This brings back old memories. My last game on this floor was against Ohio State for the Big Ten title back in 1980. For these seniors, this is what it’s all about.”
Although Woodson is stepping down from Indiana, he is reportedly in line to become a top assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings.
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“Sources say Mike Woodson is a leading candidate for the Kings’ top assistant spot under Doug Christie. He last coached in the NBA in 2021, and spent the past four years as the head coach at Indiana,” posted Sam Amick.
Woodson is far from walking away from basketball; it’s just his time to move on from Indiana. He will now join the Kings and help them regain relevance in the Western Conference.