Ball State transfer forward Payton Sparks jumpstarted the Indiana basketball offseason when he committed to the Hoosiers shortly after entering the transfer portal. He was the first transfer commit in what ended up being a big haul for Indiana.
Not only was Sparks needed due to his 6-foot-9 and 240-pound frame, but he added great toughness and a high motor that goes hand and hand with what Mike Woodson is looking for with that role.
The expectation is that Sparks will be a valuable role player to start, but that role could become increasingly important as the season progresses.
In two seasons for the Cardinals, Sparks averaged 13.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He started all 62 games he appeared in. Last year, Sparks averaged 13.3 points and 8.7 rebounds.
He ranked second in the MAC in offensive rebound rate (12.9) and fourth in the league in total rebound rate (17.3).
“Front court rotation. Sparks is a rugged, workhorse,” 247Sports national writer Isaac Trotter wrote of Sparks’ role. “There’s a lot of competition for minutes in Indiana’s new-look frontcourt, but the 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior will not go quietly. Indiana is positioned to play plenty of two-big lineups, and Sparks’ willingness to do the dirty work could give him a significant leg up. Sparks finishes everything around the rim, and he cleans up on the glass. Sparks shot over 200 free throws in each of the past two seasons. He doesn’t pretend to be a shooter. Sparks knows exactly what his job is, and that’s a good thing.”
Sparks knows what he does best and knows how to use his size and motor to his advantage, on both ends of the floor.
He ranked third in the NCAA in free throw rate (87.1) and 16th in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (6.8).
“I can score the ball, yeah, but I feel like my passing is the most underrated thing and I’m versatile too,” Sparks previously told HoosierIllustrated.com. “I just play hard and not afraid to do the dirty work and really good at rebounding.”
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While he isn’t going to be able to stretch the floor from the perimeter, his ability to bring efficiency in the paint is needed after the consistency that is gone with Trayce Jackson-Davis.
“I really like the addition of Payton to our program for several reasons,” Woodson said of Sparks. “He is an experienced player with a great work ethic, who had tremendous success individually while at Ball State. He gives us an inside scoring threat who can defend and rebound. I really like his ability to fight on the offensive glass and his ability to draw fouls on the opposition, which was one of the best nationally, is a tremendous asset.”
His presence may be felt even more in practice for Indiana.
Former five-star center Kel’el Ware transferred to the Indiana basketball program with the reputation of not always playing hard, lackadaisical and sometimes looking disinterested. At the end of the day, that transformation to a consistent and high-motor player can only come from within, but there will be no backing down from Sparks in Indiana practices.
It could be a battle that is mutually beneficial for both, if not more for Ware.
At the end of the day, Sparks ‘loved’ Indiana and always wanted to be part of the Indiana basketball program. Now that he is, that high motor and ‘willingness to do the dirty work’ will only shine brighter.
So, don’t forget about Sparks. His goal at the end of the day is to win and do whatever it takes to get there.
“For my goals, I just want to win wherever I’m at,” Sparks told 247Sports national analyst Dushawn London during his recruiting process. “I’m not worried about individual accomplishments, I just want to go to the next place and win.”
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