Rapheal Davis says Indiana basketball is losing stars, coaches to prep schools

Rapheal Davis’ warning about Indiana basketball losing stars and coaches to prep schools landed because Fishers has lived both parts of the story. Jalen Haralson spent his first two high school seasons at Fishers before he moved to La Lumiere School in La Porte, a national prep power in the NIBC, and 247Sports rated him No. 9 nationally in the 2025 class and No. 1 in Indiana. ([247sports.com](247sports.com/college/indiana/article/5-star-guard-and-iu-indiana-hoosiers-target-jalen-haralson-transferring-to-prep-powerhouse-la-lumiere-212978597/))

Haralson’s path has only sharpened the point. The Notre Dame roster lists the Anderson native as a 6-7 guard, and his freshman season ended with 23 starts, 27 games and averages of 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. 247Sports’ player timeline shows he entered the transfer portal on April 2, 2026, after a year that put him among the most productive freshmen in the ACC. ([fightingirish.com](fightingirish.com/roster/jalen-haralson/))

Fishers also lost the coach who helped build one of the state’s most efficient winning machines. Garrett Winegar stepped down in March to join Iowa United Prep in Des Moines, where Keith Smart was already part of the staff structure and Winegar was set to coach the freshman-sophomore group. He left after six seasons, a 132-25 record, a 2024 Class 4A state title and an 83-3 run over the most recent three seasons, the kind of résumé that says the problem is not a lack of success inside Indiana. ([on3.com](on3.com/high-school/news/garrett-winegar-leaving-fishers-in-basketball-for-iowa-united-prep/))

What prep offers is not just a different school, but a different season. Iowa United Prep plays in Nike EYBL Scholastic, a national circuit built around exposure, travel and year-round competitive games that traditional IHSAA schools cannot fully duplicate. Indiana still has what it has always sold best: the packed gyms, the Friday and Saturday pressure, and a tournament tradition that traces to Crawfordsville’s 1911 title, when the state first crowned a champion. The IHSAA still governs 409 member schools and, as of its February 21, 2025 framework, a first transfer between member schools can keep full eligibility if it happens during the first six semesters of high school. ([on3.com](on3.com/high-school/news/garrett-winegar-leaving-fishers-in-basketball-for-iowa-united-prep/))

That leaves Indiana with a blunt choice before the next tournament cycle. Tighten the rules again and risk slowing movement, or invest in the kind of schedule, resources and player development that make top players and top coaches think twice before taking the prep route. Right now, Fishers is showing how quickly both can leave. ([ihsaa.org](ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/022125.Transfer%20Rule.pdf))