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Published: March 17, 2008 3:00 a.m.

D.J. perseveres like ‘a pro'

Roller-coaster career creates mature leader

By LaMond Pope
The Journal Gazette
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Clint Keller | The Journal Gazette

D.J. White was named Big Ten Player of the Year.

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Regular season
Nov. 12: vs. Chattanooga, W, 99-77

Nov. 18: vs. Longwood, W, 100-49

Nov. 20: vs. UNC-Wilmington, W, 95-71

Nov. 23: vs. Illinois State, W, 70-57

Nov. 24: vs. Xavier, L, 80-65

Nov. 27: vs. Georgia Tech, W, 83-79

Dec. 1: at Southern Illinois, W, 64-51

Dec. 3: vs. Tennessee St., W, 84-72

Dec. 8: vs. Kentucky, W, 70-51

Dec. 15: vs. Western Carolina, W, 100-52

Dec. 22: vs. Coppin State, W, 73-46

Dec. 29: vs. Chicago State, W, 97-59

Jan. 2: at Iowa, W, 79-76

Jan. 8: at Michigan, W, 78-64

Jan. 13: vs. Illinois, W, 62-58

Jan. 17: at Minnesota, W, 65-60

Jan. 20: vs. Penn State, W, 81-65

Jan. 23: vs. Iowa, W, 65-43

Jan. 26: vs. Connecticut, L, 68-63

Jan. 31: at Wisconsin, L, 62-49

Feb. 3: vs. Northwestern, W, 75-63

Feb. 7: at Illinois, W, 83-79, OT

Feb. 10: at Ohio State, W, 59-53

Feb. 13: vs. Wisconsin, L, 68-66

Feb. 16: vs. Michigan State, W, 80-61

Feb. 19: vs. Purdue, W, 77-68

Feb. 23: at Northwestern, W, 85-82

Feb. 26: vs. Ohio State, W, 72-69

March 2: at Michigan State, L, 103-74

March 5: vs. Minnesota, W, 69-55

March 9: at Penn State, L, 68-64, OT

Record: 25-6 (14-4 Big Ten)

BLOOMINGTON – First comes success, then the praise and finally the pressure to live up to the hype.

D.J. White handled it all on the way to being named the Big Ten Player of the Year. The first conference player to average a double-double since 2004, White took pride in earning the honor.

“My teammates put me in a good position this year to do what I did,” he said last week. “They took a lot of pressure off me, not getting double and triple-teamed. I am the first Indiana player to get it since Jared Jeffries (in 2002). To get it in my senior year after going through all I have been through means a lot.”

When White arrived from his home state of Alabama, Mike Davis was the coach. There have been two coaching changes since. He’s also battled injuries, missing almost his entire sophomore season with a broken left foot. Through it all, his numbers have improved. More importantly, White said he’s matured.

“Coming on campus, being away from home I wasn’t used to that,” he said. “I just grew up in a lot of areas. I had to take care of my body, learn how to work out, class scheduling, all those things. It is just a matter of growing up.”

White averaged career highs in scoring (17.1 points per game) and rebounding (10.3 per game) this season.

“He has been a pro,” IU interim coach Dan Dakich said. “A pro shows up every day to do his work. A pro understands the value of winning. A pro understands the recognition that comes to everybody when you win. But he also understands his obligation to the team, and I don’t think D.J. has ever wavered from that.

“D.J. has been a guy, since I have known him, has been an enthusiastic worker. He brings a life, he brings energy. This morning we are doing post guys cutting into the middle of the zone and shooting, a simple five-minute drill. But he got the whole big-guy group going just with his energy and his talk. And that’s the way he has been all year. D.J. has done the things I think necessary, on the court, off the court, leadership, energy, daily work, to get the awards that he should get. And I am really proud of him for it.”

lpope@jg.net