Five-star Indiana point guard pledge Khristian Lander announced Monday he is reclassifying from the 2021 recruiting class to the 2020 recruiting class, bumping up his anticipated arrival by a year and giving the Hoosiers a needed injection of depth at the position.
Lander initially chose the Hoosiers in February over Louisville, Michigan and Memphis. At the time of his commitment he kept open the option of reclassifying to 2020 but had not made a final decision. Indiana did not sign a point guard in the 2020 class and lost senior Devonte Graham this offseason, which may have helped make the decision an easier one.
Lander is a critical addition for Indiana that helps address the point guard position's depth that, before today, was seemingly going to be a sore spot on that roster. The Hoosiers return soon-to-be junior and incumbent starter Rob Phinisee, who led the team in assists last season, but depth behind him was a question mark.
Indiana's incoming recruiting class for next season, a four-man class ranked 13th in the country and second in the Big Ten, is now 75% Indiana natives with Lander's reclassification -- continuing Archie Miller's recent run of recruiting success within the state. It marks the second time in three recruiting cycles Miller and his staff have pulled in the state's top-rated recruit, with Lander joining 2018 signee Romeo Langford.
