Indiana men’s basketball sophomore guard Gabe Cupps entered the transfer portal Tuesday, he announced on social media.
Cupps is the first Hoosier to transfer since the team’s season ended without an NCAA Tournament bid Sunday night. The transfer portal doesn’t officially open until March 24, but due to head coach Mike Woodson stepping down, Indiana’s players are able to enter before then.
“I want to thank Coach Woodson and his staff for the opportunity to compete at Indiana the last two years,” Cupps said in a statement released on X. “Wearing the candy stripes has been a true honor. I will always cherish the memories with teammates, managers, coaches and support staff. I am thankful to have met so many great people during my time in Bloomington.”
Cupps did not rule out returning to Indiana.
“After discussions with my family, I’ve chosen to enter the portal while also keeping track of what’s happening with the Indiana program,” Cupps said.
The Dayton, Ohio, native played in four games this season, collecting three assists and one rebound while going 0-for-4 shooting from the field. He did not score in 24 total minutes.
Indiana Athletics announced in a press release Dec. 11 that Cupps underwent successful surgery to treat a nagging and preexisting lower body injury, which he later revealed was a torn meniscus. Cupps did not play again during the 2024-25 campaign.
Cupps, who was a consensus four-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Centerville High School, started 22 of 33 games as a freshman in 2023-24. Playing primarily in place of injured guard Xavier Johnson, Cupps averaged 2.6 points, 1.2 assists and 1.8 rebounds across 21.7 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Cupps is eligible for a medical redshirt from this season, meaning he can play three more years of college basketball if he chooses.
Indiana, meanwhile, will continue its search for Woodson’s replacement before turning its focus to roster improvements.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball offseason.
