As the college basketball season looms, a burning question arises: Can a player's intangible qualities truly tip the scales in a high-stakes game? We’re shifting our focus from the broader Big Ten landscape to the heart of the matter—the 2025-26 IU basketball roster. And today, we’re zeroing in on senior Conor Enright, a player whose impact transcends the stat sheet. But here's where it gets intriguing: Enright’s journey to Bloomington is anything but ordinary, and his reunion with Coach Darian DeVries might just be the story of the season.
Before diving into Enright’s profile, let’s catch you up on our previous player previews: Andrej Acimovic, Trent Sisley, Aleksa Ristic, Josh Harris, Jasai Miles, Nick Dorn, Jason Drake, and Lamar Wilkerson. Each brings something unique to the table, but Enright’s story stands out—partly because of his history with DeVries and partly because of his relentless, under-the-radar contributions.
Enright, a 6-foot-1 guard from Mundelein, Illinois, first crossed paths with DeVries in the 2021 recruiting class at Drake. At that time, DeVries was three years into a remarkable rebuild at Drake, fresh off a 26-5 season and an NCAA tournament appearance. Enright redshirted his freshman year but quickly became a cornerstone of the program during his next two seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference.
But here’s the part most people miss: Enright’s impact has always been about the intangibles. As a redshirt freshman, he earned MVC All-Freshman honors despite averaging just 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. His value lies in the little plays—the hustle, the defensive pressure, the ability to make teammates better. DeVries once said, ‘He plays like every possession is the last possession of the game.’ That kind of effort doesn’t always show up in box scores, but it’s infectious.
In his second season at Drake, Enright’s role expanded significantly. Starting all 33 games for a team that went 28-7, he averaged 6.9 points, 3.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and a steal in 26.1 minutes per game. Yet, when DeVries left for West Virginia, Enright chose a different path. Instead of following his coach, he transferred to DePaul to be closer to home. There, despite a shoulder injury that cut his season short after 23 games, he still managed to average 6.2 assists per game, ranking 16th nationally in assist rate.
And this is where it gets controversial: Was Enright’s decision to part ways with DeVries a missed opportunity, or was it a strategic move to prioritize personal circumstances? Either way, fate had other plans. When DeVries took the IU job in March, Enright entered the transfer portal, seeking a program where he could make a deep NCAA tournament run. With his brother’s ties to Bloomington and his own familiarity with DeVries, IU became the perfect landing spot.
Now fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, Enright is poised to be a linchpin in IU’s rotation. He started in all three exhibition games in Puerto Rico, and his familiarity with DeVries’ system positions him as a natural on-court leader. Offensively, he’s a skilled facilitator with a career 37.1% three-point shooting clip. Defensively, he’s a tenacious pest who thrives on disrupting opponents.
Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Enright’s selflessness is undeniable. ‘I’ve got one year left, and I want an opportunity to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament,’ he said last spring. ‘With Coach DeVries and Indiana’s winning tradition, it’s the perfect combination.’
Here’s the bold prediction: Enright will become a fan favorite in Bloomington, not because of flashy stats, but because of his blue-collar approach. He plays with heart, energy, and a contagious enthusiasm that elevates everyone around him. As DeVries once said after watching Enright in high school, ‘He didn’t score a point, and he dominated the game.’
So, here’s the question for you: Do you believe players like Enright—whose impact goes beyond the stat sheet—are undervalued in today’s basketball landscape? Let us know in the comments. And stay tuned as we continue to break down the 2025-26 IU basketball roster, one player at a time.
