In an interview on this week’s Gamers Perspective podcast with Miller Kopp, Indiana sophomore guard Gabe Cupps mirrored on his first season in Bloomington and the way it was a studying expertise.
The Hoosiers struggled, completed 19-14 and missed the NCAA event for the primary time in three seasons underneath Mike Woodson.
Cupps, who gained at a excessive stage in highschool, together with a state championship, wasn’t used to the adversity Indiana skilled as a workforce final season.
“I’ve at all times been on successful, actually good groups. It felt totally different,” he defined. “And I really feel like studying took the highest place on the podium final 12 months. It was like, ‘it is advisable to see what’s happening and it is advisable to study as a lot as you possibly can so to stop it from feeling like this once more.’”
Because of accidents to Xavier Johnson, Cupps was pressured to tackle a extra important position than anticipated in his first season as a Hoosier.
The Centerville, Ohio native began 21 of Indiana’s 33 video games as a freshman and averaged 2.6 factors, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per recreation.
Whereas he had his share of vivid spots, Cupps shared with Kopp that he wasn’t happy along with his efficiency in his first season.
“I clearly didn’t assume I carried out very effectively and didn’t assist the workforce as finest I might final 12 months,” Cupps mentioned. “Which each participant, to an extent, goes to really feel like that yearly. You at all times take into consideration the stuff that you possibly can have executed extra.”
Cupps mentioned he’s spent a lot time working to enhance his shot this offseason. He’s been within the fitness center incessantly with Isaac Inexperienced, Indiana’s video and participant growth analyst.
Recognized for his early morning exercises — which impressed his NIL clothes line, “The Breakfast Membership,” Cupps has routinely been within the fitness center all summer time.
Though the general perimeter taking pictures numbers for Cupps had been strong at 35.9 % on 3-pointers, he shot simply 36.4 % total and 61.5 % from the free-throw line.
“Isaac (Inexperienced) earlier than each work out asks me what my intention is for the day,” Cupps defined.”I’ve to say it each time. And normally it’s been ‘excessive, straight and up’ for my shot. I feel simply specializing in these issues on my leap shot particularly has helped me a ton. Like not worrying about makes and misses as a lot. I do know if I do these three issues, I’m going to maximise the possibility I’ve to achieve success in the case of taking pictures.”
Along with the taking pictures work, Cupps is hopeful of coming into his sophomore season as a extra assured participant.
He defined to Kopp that “taking part in and speaking with confidence” has been the first goal of his offseason work.
“I really feel like my exercises this summer time have been good, been intentional,” Cupps mentioned. “I really feel like I’m beginning to see progress.”
With simply over a month remaining till the official begin of observe in September and fewer than three months till the common season, Cupps is raring to point out off his enchancment this winter in Bloomington.
“I really feel like I’ve simply been like chomping on the bit ever since final season,” he informed Kopp. “That’ll get a competitor going, a season that you simply really feel such as you didn’t do very effectively personally, you didn’t do very effectively as a workforce, like that’ll get any individual going who actually cares in regards to the recreation, cares about what they’re doing.”
Filed to: Gabe Cupps
