Picture this: a beloved basketball program shaking off its old skin and stepping into a bold new era, all while sending some of its key players packing to rivals. That's the dramatic shift Indiana men's basketball has undergone in just seven short months, and it's got fans buzzing everywhere!
But here's where it gets fascinating – amid this whirlwind of change, three standout guards from the 2024-25 roster have made the leap to other Big Ten schools, sparking endless debates about loyalty, opportunity, and what truly drives a player's success. Let's dive into their stories, exploring how these transfers are reshaping not just their careers, but the landscapes of their new teams. And this is the part most people miss – the intimate insights from coaches and teammates that reveal the human side of these moves, offering fresh perspectives on resilience, talent, and team chemistry.
Indiana's lineup and leadership have been flipped upside down. Gone is the old coaching staff and roster under former head coach Mike Woodson, replaced by a fresh vision from first-year coach Darian DeVries. This overhaul has ignited a renewed sense of optimism, a far cry from the skepticism that lingered in Woodson's final season. DeVries has welcomed 13 entirely new scholarship players to Bloomington, but not everyone stayed. Three guards chose to test the waters of the transfer portal, landing at powerhouse Big Ten programs. For those new to college basketball, the transfer portal is like a marketplace where players can shop around for better fits, often after just one season – it's a game-changer that adds excitement but also unpredictability to team building.
Gabe Cupps headed back to his Ohio roots, reuniting with Ohio State. Myles Rice ventured eastward to Maryland, and Bryson Tucker took a cross-country flight to Washington. To get the scoop, reporters from The Indiana Daily Student chatted with their new coaches and teammates during Big Ten Media Days – an annual event where teams gather to hype up the season, share strategies, and build media buzz, held this year on October 9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Everyone had glowing praise for these transfers, highlighting their skills, personalities, and potential to elevate their squads.
Starting with Gabe Cupps, the 6-foot-2 guard from Dayton, Ohio, had a rocky freshman year at Indiana. After logging just four games before a season-ending surgery on his left meniscus, he bounced back strong in 2023-24, suiting up for 33 contests and starting in 22, chipping in an average of 2.6 points per game. Former Hoosiers coach Woodson once described him as being 'thrown to the wolves' in his debut season, a tough rite of passage for many young players.
Cupps' path to Ohio State is personal – head coach Jake Diebler, who originally scouted him as a four-star high school prospect when Diebler was an assistant under Chris Holtmann, brought him back home. For beginners in the game, a four-star rating means scouts see serious college potential, like being a highly sought-after talent. Diebler is emphasizing a smarter, more cerebral approach to the game this offseason, and Cupps embodies that with his deep basketball knowledge and reliability.
Overcoming injuries varies for each athlete, but Diebler noted Cupps' eagerness to return, now with a supportive new squad behind him. There's palpable excitement radiating from Cupps, who'll slide in as a complementary piece to starting guards Bruce Thornton (a senior) and John Mobley Jr. (a sophomore). Diebler is still fine-tuning roles and lineups, but he loves the team's adaptability, where Cupps acts as a 'blender' – someone who fosters unity and quick chemistry.
Thornton, dressed sharply in an all-gray suit over a white button-up, beamed when talking about his new teammate. 'Gabe’s my guy,' he said. 'Unique guy. Great energy all the time. Sometimes, though, very unhinged. You need guys like that on your team. I love him.' Thornton raves that Cupps infuses the Buckeyes with unstoppable vibes, performing effectively on offense and defense, making him one of the most energetic players he's encountered.
The Buckeyes are thrilled with Cupps, who honed his skills at Centerville High School, just a short drive from Ohio State's Value City Arena. Diebler points out improvements in his three-point shooting, trustworthiness with the ball, and defensive grit. 'All around, we saw a good player who we’re excited about the impact he’s going to have on our team,' he added.
Now, turning to Myles Rice, the story here adds an emotional layer that resonates deeply. This was his second time dipping into the transfer portal – he first committed to Indiana after exploring options, including talks with Buzz Williams (then at Texas A&M, now Maryland's coach). When Rice re-entered the portal in late March, Williams, who had already built a rapport with Rice and his family, moved swiftly to recruit him. For context, building such relationships is key in basketball recruiting, where personal connections can make or break a deal.
Williams admires Rice's character profoundly, especially his inspiring battle with cancer, and sees him as a locker-room essential – the kind of teammate you'd want even after a challenging Indiana stint. Rice played in 32 games for the Hoosiers, starting 25, and averaged 10.1 points and 2.8 assists, though he struggled in the season's final trio of contests, scoring only 7 points total.
Williams didn't observe Rice in action at Indiana's Cook Hall practices or Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall games, but he trusts his instincts. 'I probably didn’t investigate the basketball enough because the first time he was in the portal, I just admired who he was,' he explained, noting Maryland needed to sign 15 players quickly after taking the job. Graduate transfer David Coit, who himself moved from Kansas after averaging 5.1 points per game there, believes Rice will be a cornerstone guard for the Terrapins, impacting games through his ball-handling, defense, and leadership.
'He definitely can change the game for us,' Coit said. 'His playmaking ability, his ability to guard the ball, his ability to be a good teammate and good leader.' And this is where it gets controversial – some might argue that prioritizing personality over on-court performance in recruiting could backfire if skills don't match up, but others see it as a smart bet on intangibles like grit and inspiration. What do you think: Does overcoming personal challenges like Rice's cancer battle make a player more valuable, even if their recent stats dipped?
Finally, let's talk Bryson Tucker, a 6-foot-7 athletic marvel who entered Indiana as a four-star recruit, ranked 30th nationally by 247 Sports. He suited up for 23 games, averaging 5.4 points, before opting for a fresh start after one season. Sophomore guard Zoom Diallo, who crossed paths with Tucker in high school, felt Tucker's rookie year didn't meet expectations. Fellow transfer Desmond Claude, a senior who joined Washington from USC, echoed that Tucker didn't need an overhaul – he just needed the space to shine. 'He was always able to do what y’all will see him do in games, but I think the opportunity is there now where he has a little bit more of freedom to actually do it, and coach actually trusts him to let him play his game,' Claude remarked.
Head coach Danny Sprinkle, in his second year, views Tucker's relocation as a positive reset, allowing him to thrive without needing a major attitude adjustment. Sprinkle praises Tucker's versatility, capable of playing positions two through four (guard to power forward in basketball terms), with small forward as his sweet spot due to his natural cutting instincts. Tucker's confidence remains intact – that's his 'special' edge, Sprinkle says – but he's also developing into a scorer and offensive rebounder.
Claude predicts a major role for Tucker: 'He’ll play a pretty big role, significant role. I mean he’s super athletic, fast-twitched, he plays hard, he can play defense, he blocks shots, he rebounds. He’s kind of in the area where he can do everything.'
These transfers highlight a fascinating trend in college basketball: players seeking environments where they can flourish, often questioning whether a coaching change justifies uprooting one's life. But here's the kicker – while some cheer the fresh opportunities, others wonder if loyalty to a rebuilding program like Indiana's could pay off bigger in the long run. Is transferring a savvy career move or a knee-jerk reaction to short-term struggles? Do these moves weaken Indiana or strengthen the Big Ten as a whole? Share your opinions in the comments – do you agree with these coaches' enthusiasm, or is there a counterpoint we missed? Let's discuss!
