Notre Dame Basketball

Coach | 2025 PF Brady Koehler Will Bring Versatility & More To Notre Dame

By Christian McCollum

September 24, 2024

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Notre Dame landed a player who will help the program in all facets when the Irish received a commitment from Brady Koehler‍ on Monday, according to his summer league coach.

Jon Avery, head coach of Indy Heat’s 17U EYBL squad, says the 2025 Indiana power forward will be an asset on offense, defensive and the locker room.

Avery first points to Koehler’s versatility.

“At 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan, he's not a kid you come by that often, especially throughout the Midwest,” says Avery. “He's shown that he can compete at the highest level, having played with us this summer with the EYBL. In addition to that, playing at one of the top high schools in the state with Cathedral. He's proven that he can play at a high level. He's extremely coachable, extremely likable, all those things makes it an easier process and transition for him to play at Notre Dame and in the ACC.”

Koehler’s frame, athleticism and basketball IQ will be helpful on both ends of the court, according to Avery.

“With him having that length, people don't notice how long he is and it makes him a really, really good weakside shot blocker,” the coach said. “I think fans can expect to see him really turn up the game and the intensity of a game from a defensive perspective.

“On the flip side, on the offensive end, he's like a unicorn with that 6-9 frame, he still handles the ball like a guard. He makes good decisions in terms of making the right plays and passing like a guard. Then, he really shoots the ball extremely well, whether it's a spot-up three or whether it's creating for himself. That makes it really difficult for other teams to match up with him. Not to mention, if you put him in the mid-post area, he can do anything. He can face up and score. He can face up and find an open man. He can draw two and find the open man and then move without the ball. He's very unique in his versatility from an offensive standpoint too.”

And Avery believes Koehler still has plenty of room to grow, both literally and figuratively.

“The first one I would say is going to be from a physicality standpoint, in terms of him just getting a little stronger,” he said. “I'm not saying he needs to put on 50 pounds. I'm just saying just becoming stronger in that ability. I think that's something that he's going to be working towards. I last coached him was in July, and even looking at how his body has changed now has shown his dedication to really becoming that elite athlete in every aspect of it. That's one thing that I would say he's going to definitely be working on.

“Another thing that I think he's going to continue to work on is defensively. He's a tremendous defender. I think he can become a guy that can guard 1 through 4, and I think that's something that he's striving towards. Right now, he's still one of the top defenders. If I'm playing against one of the better wings in this country, or a stretch-4, he's definitely the man for the job. I think he's going to continue to increase that versatility on the defensive end too.”

In the end, the fit at Notre Dame with Micah Shrewsberry and assistant coaches Ryan Owens and Kyle Getter was too much for Koehler to turn down.

“I think it checks a lot of boxes for him,” Avery said. “He's a high-academic kid. I believe he carries a 3.9 GPA at Cathedral, which is one of the top high schools academically in the state. That being able to translate over makes all the sense in the world for him.

“Another thing that makes sense is his proximity to home. He's extremely close with his family. He golfs with his grandmother. He's extremely family-oriented. In addition to that, I just think it makes sense with the proximity of being close to a major city and the perks that come with being Notre Dame.

“Lastly, I think the coaching staff there, Coach Shrewsberry, Coach Owens, Coach Getter, everyone really on staff there has done a tremendous job of not just recruiting Brady, but investing in Brady, understanding Brady. There's been games this past summer where it wasn't the best game that Brady could have played and they've given him good feedback on how to improve his game. Him being able to build that trust with them early on helped him making that decision. Now, if they're willing to help you and you're not even committed to the school yet, imagine what's going to take place there. We all know Coach Shrewsberry is an unbelievable X's and O's coach, but he's an even better person and he's committed to investing in all his players. I think that really resonated with Brady.”