Hoosier Favorite No. 5? Picking Favorite Indiana Basketball Players, One Number At a Time

Marco Killingsworth (2005-06)

Forward Marco Killingsworth started his collegiate basketball career at Auburn despite originally wanting to sign with Indiana. He said he changed his mind after former Hoosiers coach Bob Knight was accused of choking a player.

Following three seasons with the Tigers, Killingsworth declared for the 2004 NBA draft, but later withdrew his name and transferred to Indiana.

Due to NCAA transfer rules, Killingsworth had to sit out for the 2004-05 season. When his moment came, the Montgomery, Ala. native shot 54.2 percent from the field and was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press at the end of the season with Indiana.

Killingsworth and the Hoosiers played in the second round of the NCAA Tournament but fell short to Gonzaga for head coach Mike Davis's final game as head coach.

Neil Reed (1994-97)

Guard Neil Reed is known as former head coach Bob Knight's alleged choking victim during a 1997 practice (this was why Killingsworth was hesitant to come to Indiana).

At the time, Knight denied the claim, but less than a month later, a video surfaced showing the incident, and Knight was released in September of 2000.

Incidents aside, Reed played in 122 Indiana games, starting 98 of them and scoring 1,426 total points. He advanced to the NCAA Tournament with his fellow Hoosiers three times in a row during his Hoosiers stint.

Reed passed away in 2012 from heart complications.

Troy Williams (2013-16)

Forward Troy Williams from Hampton, Va. was ranked No. 10 at his position by Rivals.com as a recruit heading into Indiana. As a freshman and sophomore, he played or started in all 32 games for each respective season.

Williams registered 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, which totaled his fifth double-double of the season.

For his junior and final season with the Hoosiers, Williams started 34 out of 35 games and scored 21 points and went 5-for-8 shooting from the three-point line against North Carolina in the Sweet 16 where the Tar Heels were victorious 101-86.

Following the season, he was named third team All-Big Ten before declaring for the 2016 NBA Draft. He went undrafted, but joined the Phoenix Suns for the 2016 NBA Summer League before eventually signing with the Memphis Grizzlies and then later the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League.

After short stints with multiple teams, Williams currently plays for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan.

All-time No. 5's at Indiana

Here are all of the players who have worn No. 5 at Indiana:

• Michael Shipp — (2019-current)
• Quentin Taylor — (2015-19)
• Troy Williams — (2013-16)
• Jeremiah Rivers —(2006-11)
• Jordan Crawford — (2007-08)
• Marco Killingsworth— (2005-06)
• George Leech — (2000-04)
• Neil Reed — (1994-97)
• Chuckie White — (1988-89)
• Samuel Miranda — (1949-52)
• Bob Lukemeyer — (1948-49)
• Murray Mendenhall — (1947-48)
• Ralph Hamilton — (1941-43, 1946-47)
• Charles Radcliffe — (1945-46)
• Ed Schienbein — (1944-45)
• Leroy Mangin — (1942-43)
• Ernie Andres — (1935-39)
• Vern Huffman — (1933-37)
• Bernard Dickey — (1931-33)
• Dale Wells — (1927-29)
• Michael Nyikos — (1922-24)

Vote for your favorite No. 5 on Twitter

You'll be able to vote on Twitter for your favorite player with each number. Here's the link to today's poll for No. 5.