Gabe Cupps, 2023 four-star PG, commits to Indiana

Gabe Cupps, a 6-foot-2 point guard out of Dayton (Ohio) Centerville has committed to Indiana basketball for the class of 2023, he tells On3.

Indiana is off to a hot start in 2023, as Cupps is the Hoosiers’ second commitment of the class. He joins combo guard Jakai Newton.

Cupps ultimately chose IU over Ohio State and Stanford. He also received offers from Michigan, Clemson, Virginia Tech, amongst others.

Gabe Cupps on his decision

“IU basketball means so much to the state of Indiana,” Cupps said. “I think that’s awesome because basketball means that much to me. I’ve been a basketball addict ever since I can remember. I already respect and trust the whole staff at IU and have heard nothing but good things about them. A chance to re-establish IU at the top of college basketball is something that I couldn’t pass up.”

Hoosiers over the Buckeyes

Cupps is an Ohio native, born and raised. Despite not growing up in an Ohio State household, Gabe was still able to see and experience the power of the fan base. “We’ve always been surrounded by Ohio State fans,” Cupps said. “I mean, if you’re in Ohio, almost everybody you see…90% of them are die-hard Buckeye fans.” Not to mention, Gabe grew up only about an hour away from the Ohio State campus.

Cupps even said in a previous interview with On3 that Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann is “a very similar coach to my dad. When I watched his practices and kind of feel and see his culture, it just seems very familiar to me.”

IU wins the battle

Despite the attraction to stay home, Cupps has decided to play for newly appointed head coach Mike Woodson.

Woodson, an alumnus of Indiana, accepted the head coaching position in Bloomington in late March. Woodson has seen and experienced each level of basketball, whether that’s playing at IU for Bob Knight, playing in the NBA, or even coaching in the NBA. However, this is Mike Woodson’s first year ever coaching at the college level. The goal is to return Indiana basketball as a powerhouse once again and that’s what they preached to Cupps.

“I think Coach (Mike) Woodson and his whole staff are going to do a really good job,” Cupps said. “The biggest thing that draws me to them is just the challenge that it poses of bringing Indiana basketball back to the top. That’s kind of what they’ve been preaching to me. Coach Woodson is there to get Indiana winning and back where they’re meant to be. I think that’s really intriguing because I’ve always been one to try to go for a challenge. If you can do that at Indiana, the payoff is endless.”