As the start of the college basketball season approaches, we’ve transitioned from our look at other Big Ten programs to our player-by-player previews of the 2025-26 IU basketball roster.
Today our player profiles continue with senior Sam Alexis.
Earlier: Andrej Acimovic, Trent Sisley, Aleksa Ristic, Josh Harris, Jasai Miles, Nick Dorn, Jason Drake, Lamar Wilkerson, Conor Enright, Tayton Conerway, Reed Bailey
Sam Alexis was a member of Florida’s national championship team last spring and is IU basketball’s top shot blocker and rebounder entering the 2025-2026 season.
The Apopka, Florida, native began his career at Chattanooga, where he spent two seasons before advancing to the top level last season in Gainesville.
A Southern Conference All-Freshman team selection in the 2022-2023 season, the 6-foot-1 Alexis played in 32 games off the bench for the Mocs in his freshman season. In just 12 minutes per game, Alexis averaged five points and 3.8 rebounds against an 18-17 Chattanooga team.
Alexis showed steady improvement as a sophomore when he entered the starting lineup, averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocked shots and 1.8 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. He scored nine double-doubles in the 2023-24 season and scored in double figures 19 times.
An efficient finisher in the paint, Alexis shot 55 percent and was one of five Division I players to average at least 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots per game. After a 21-12 season in his second season at Chattanooga, Alexis opted to enter the transfer portal, choosing Florida, just 110 miles from his hometown of Apopka.
He started the season as a key part of Florida’s rotation, scoring in double figures in three of the first four games of the season. In late December, Alexis recorded a double-double – 14 points and 12 rebounds – in a win against North Florida.
“It’s a big jump,” Alexis said. “When I went from Chattanooga to Florida, the physicality was different.”
He remained part of Florida’s rotation through the first half of SEC play, but an ankle injury forced him to miss the second half of the regular season. By the time Alexis was ready to return to the floor, strong play from Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh left few opportunities for the junior big man for several minutes.
Alexis played just one minute in Florida’s run to the NCAA championship game, entering the transfer portal on April 18. A week later, Alexis announced his commitment to Indiana, which had a clear need for rebounding and rim protection on its freshly assembled roster.
Through three exhibition games in Puerto Rico and Friday’s exhibition opener against Marian, Alexis was one of IU’s most consistent players.
He played 21.4 minutes per game during the trip to Puerto Rico and averaged 12.7 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 53.6 percent from the field. Against Marian Friday at Assembly Hall, Alexis scored a double-double – 13 points and 10 rebounds – and blocked three shots in 18 minutes.
While Reed Bailey is expected to be IU’s starter at the five, Alexis will be an integral part of the Hoosier rotation. He is IU’s best post defender and rebounder and will be heavily relied upon when he plays against the Big Ten’s frontcourt, where the emphasis is on putting the ball in the post.
In short: Alexis is a veteran who brings championship experience to IU’s roster. The Hoosiers need him to be excellent on the boards and he could be the only player who routinely crashes the offensive glass. He’s also a solid passer for a big man and a capable shot blocker. In his second season at Chattanooga, Alexis had the 37th best block percentage in the country.
Quotable: “I’m just going to play hard, rebound, block shots, defend and do what I have to do to help the team win. Off the court, I try to be a great teammate and a great locker room guy and pick up my teammates when they’re down.” – Alexis on his role for the Hoosiers this season.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
See more: Commentary, 2025-26 Season Preview, Sam Alexis
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