Class of 2025 Greenfield-Central and Indiana Elite guard Braylon Mullins is one of IU’s top recruiting targets in the rising senior class.
The 6-foot-5 Mullins put together an outstanding spring with Indiana Elite, which led to a flurry of new scholarship offers and a rise in the national recruiting rankings.
Inside the Hall recently spoke 1-on-1 with Mullins to get his thoughts on his play with Indiana Elite on the adidas 3SSB circuit, his rise in the national rankings and his recruitment.
Our full Q & A is available below:
On what led to his success this spring with Indiana Elite and rise in the rankings:
“I went through my junior year and I felt like I took on that leadership role and I transitioned through that whole year. I took my high school season and I just transitioned it into AAU. I was kinda injured at the end of my high school season so I took like a two-month break. But just me being healthy and in the right state of mind just got me right and I feel like I’m just playing the best basketball I could and it just all happened. Definitely grateful for all of it.”
On the team’s successful spring and playing with other big-time players:
“I’ve been playing with some of them for probably three or four years. I feel like everybody knows their role on our team and we just all play well together. We’re all unselfish, we all get each other the ball. It doesn’t really matter who scores the most. We all want to win and we’re all competitive and I feel like that’s what makes us a great team. I want to continue this little undefeated streak we’ve got. I want to go win Rock Hill (an adidas event in South Carolina). Last year, so it’ll be fun.”
On the aspects of his game have grown beyond shooting and if there are parts of his game that are underappreciated:
“I feel like I definitely got the athleticism part. I worked a lot on that last summer just to get a little bit more off the bounce and being able to jump in general. I feel like everybody underestimates that. They just look at me and say I sit around the 3-point line but when somebody runs me off the 3-point line, I’ll go attack the rim. That’s definitely something I’ve put a lot of time into and I’ve just developed a good portion of my game outside of shooting. I definitely want to get stronger because the strength part will definitely help me with all of it.”
On whether he watches clips of specific NBA or college players to add things to his game:
“I don’t really have a certain player off the top of my head but just watching clips I see on Twitter/X or Instagram, just seeing what’s new and what I’ve never seen before and sometimes I’ll just go to the gym and work on random stuff and in game movements. I feel like anything that can help your game improve is a good thing. I like watching the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton, he’s a great, great player. That dude knows how to pass the ball and I want to be able to do that, too.”
On whether becoming a better passer is the next step in becoming an even better player:
“For sure. In college, I’m going to be a two-guard. I’m not going to be the tallest player on the court. So the pick-and-roll stuff, if I can get that down and know how to use a five or 7-footer, that can definitely improve my game a lot.”
On how he’s managed all of the new recruiting attention:
“Before Texas, it wasn’t too bad. But after that third 3SSB session, it picked up a lot. And that’s when I got like 10 or 11 offers in the span of four days. I just try to answer every phone call I get just to listen to what everybody has to say. There will be times where I can’t answer it and I’m doing something else but I try to get back to everybody. It definitely got stressful at times. I feel like it’s slowed down a little bit especially because I’m playing in the high school stuff and they know I have stuff to do. I’m grateful for it.”
On visits he’s taken this spring:
“I did Michigan and Michigan State unofficial visits last week. They were good. I did both in the same day so I was gone all day. I like both coaching staffs. They bring a lot to the table and showed what I could bring to each program. They were showing clips of how I can be used in their offense, it was definitely fun.”
On visiting two rivals on the same day:
“It was funny because I went to Michigan first and then I went to Michigan State later in the evening. And (Tom) Izzo was giving us some crap about it. But it’s funny and they all got a good sense of humor and they all respect each other.”
On visiting IU with Trent Sisley and Malachi Moreno in September:
“I feel like we’re all close from the area. Malachi isn’t too far from IU, either. I feel like it will be a cool experience for all three of us just to see what fits us. It’s been small talk about all three of us going to the same program. But it’ll be a cool experience if we all three got aboard on one school. Definitely have to try it out with different visits and IU is going to be the first one.”
On other official visits he wants to take in the fall:
“I don’t really have dates set but I think I’m trying to do IU, I think I’m doing Tennessee, Alabama, UConn, Kansas, North Carolina. I think it’s maybe close to 10 officials. And I’m doing that all before my (high school) season so in the span of the next four or five months. The only date I have right now is IU.”
On what Indiana’s message to him has been as his recruiting interest has picked up:
“They always tell me they were one of the first power fives to recruit me. They saw my development first. That meant a lot to me being only like an hour and 15 minutes away. Coach (Brian) Walsh always brings that up that I’m only an hour and a half away from home. I just got to take it all in. I respect it all and I gotta figure out what I want. I think I’m going Saturday. We have a team camp at IU. I think I’m going to talk to the whole coaching staff again and they’re going to give me another pitch. It’ll be fun.”
On what he tries to learn when he talks to different schools:
“I just listen to all of it. They always ask me what the main things I’m looking for in a campus and I always tell them I like looking at the culture piece. I want to build myself around good people, good coaches, good players, good community. The opportunity to play as well, that’s also what I look for. I tell every coach that. The schools explain it in similar terms. Some schools give a different background on it. It’s just cool to listen to all of it.”
On his relationship with the current IU players:
“I’ll talk to Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal every once in a while. Anthony Leal texted me the other day and told me to let him know when I was in Bloomington, get a workout in. They always reply to all of the social media stuff, put the red and white circles. It’s funny. They’re definitely one of the few schools with players who reach out to me. That definitely means something.”
On the impact of his parents on his basketball career:
“My parents are two different people when it comes to basketball. They’re both supportive. My mom, she’s always letting me know what I can do better and just listening. My dad, he’ll push me through anything. It’s a little competitive between us two. He really honestly got my name out by reposting stuff, making posts and talking to everybody. He’s the guy coaches go to first if they don’t have my number. He’s definitely helped a lot with my recruitment and I’m appreciative of that.”
Filed to: Braylon Mullins
